INTERNATIONAL  RADIO  TELEGRAPH 
CONVENTION  OF  BERLIN :  1906 

AND  PROPOSITIONS  FOR  THE  INTER- 
NATIONAL RADIO  TELEGRAPH 
CONFERENCE  OF  LONDON 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1912 


GIFT  OF 


INTERNATIONAL  RADIO  TELEGRAPH 
CONVENTION  OF  BERLIN :  1906 

AND  PROPOSITIONS  FOR  THE  INTER- 
NATIONAL RADIO  TELEGRAPH 
CONFERENCE  OF  LONDON 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1912 


368544 


PART  1. 


CONVENTION. 


International  Radio  Telegraph  Convention  concluded  between 
Germany,  the  United  States  of  America,  Argentina,  Austria, 
Hungary,  Belgium,  Brazil,  Bulgaria,  Chile,  Denmark,  Spain, 
France,  Great  Britain,  Greece,  Italy,  Japan,  Mexico,  Monaco, 
Norway,  the  Netherlands,  Persia,  Portugal,  Roumania, 
Russia,  Sweden,  Turkey,  and  Uruguay. 


The  undersigned,  plenipotentaries  of  the  Governments 
of  the  countries  enumerated  above,  having  met  in  con- 
ference at  Berlin,  have  agreed  on  the  following  Conven- 
tion, subject  to  ratification: 

AETICLE  1. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  bind  themselves  to  ap- 
ply the  provisions  of  the  present  Convention  to  all  radio 
stations  open  to  public  service  between  the  coast  and 
vessels  at  sea — both  coastal  stations  and  stations  on  ship- 
board— which  are  established  or  worked  by  the  Con- 
tracting Parties. 

They  further  bind  themselves  to  make  the  observance 
of  these  provisions  obligatory  upon  private  enterprises 
authorized  either  to  establish  or  work  coastal  stations 
for  radio  telegraphy  open  to  public  service  between  the 
coast  and  vessels  at  sea.  or  to  establish  or  work  radio 
stations,  whether  open  to  general  public  service  or  not, 
on  board  of  vessels  flying  their  flag. 


4  RADIO   TELEGEAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

BELGIAN  CONGO. 

The  Berlin  Convention  and  its  appendices  have  to  do  with  the 
regulation  .  of  communications  between  the  coast  and  ships  at  sea 
and  those  exchanged  between  two  ships.  The  Belgian  colony  of  the 
Congo  considers  that  it  would  be  proper  also  to  recognize  and  regu- 
late intercommunication  between  fixed  radio  stations  and  to  adopt 
for  all  radio  stations  a  classification  conformable  to  their  location 
and  object.  It  proposes  to  this  end  that  the  following  text  be  in- 
serted in  the  Convention : 

"  The  High  Contracting  Parties  have  decided  to  classify  radio 
stations  under  four  heads : 

"  1.  Coastal  stations  designed  for  maritime  service. 

"  2.  Stations  on  shipboard. 

"  3.  Stations  designed  for  regular  service  between  fixed  points 
which  are  not  necessarily  separated  by  the  sea. 

"  4.  Stations  of  general  interest  sending  telegrams  or  signals  of 
public  utility." 

This  text  is  submitted  only  as  a  basis  for  discussion.  The  London 
Conference  should  establish  exact  definitions  and  suitable  regula- 
tions defining  the  functions  of  each  class  of  stations.  .These  regula- 
tions should  specify  the  wave  length  to  be  used  by  the  different  sta- 
tions according  to  "their  purpose  and  class.  If  necessary,  working 
hours  for  services  of  public  utility  (time,  meteorology,  etc.)  might 
be  established. 

ITALY. 

To  consider,  in  the  Kadio  Telegraph  Convention,  as  well  as  in  the 
Kegulations,  the  definition  of  aerial  radio  stations.  By  this  name 
shall  be  meant  stations  installed  on  board  of  dirigibles,  balloons,  and 
aeroplanes. 

To  consider^  also,  all  that  concerns  the  correspondence  of  aerial 
radio  stations  with  other  radio  stations. 

REASONS. 

The  necessity  for  this  proposition  is  self-evident.  Precise  proposi- 
tions have  not^been  formulated  for  introduction  into  the  Convention 
and  Kegulations  in  view  of  the  special  information  which  practical 
experience  will  be  able  to  furnish  from  time  to  time  on  the  subject  of 
radio  stations,  and  anticipating  that  the  London  Conference  will  not 
meet  until  the  month  of  June,  1912. 

AETICLE  2. 

By  "  coastal  stations  "  is  to  be  understood  every  radio 
station  established  on  shore  or  on  board  a  permanently 
moored  vessel  used  for  the  exchange  of  correspondence 
with  ships  at  sea. 


5  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION"   OF  BERLIN. 

Every  radio  station  established  on  board  any  vessel 
not  permanently  moored  is  called  a  "station  on  ship- 
board." 

ARTICLE  3. 

The  coastal  stations  and  the  stations  on  shipboard 
shall  be  bound  to  exchange  radiograms  without  dis- 
tinction of  the  radio  system  adopted  by  such  stations. 

ARTICLE  4. 

Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  article  3,  a  station 
may  be  reserved  for  a  limited  public  service  determined 
by  the  object  of  the  correspondence  or  by  other  circum- 
stances independent  of  the  system  employed. 

ARTICLE  5. 

Each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  undertakes  to 
connect  the  coastal  stations  to  the  telegraph  system  by 
special  wires,  or,  at  least,  to  take  other  measures  which 
will  insure  a  rapid  exchange  between  the  coastal  sta- 
tions and  the  telegraph  system. 

ARTICLE  6. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  shall  notify  one  another 
of  the  names  of  coastal  stations  and  stations  on  ship- 
board referred  to  in  article  1,  and  also  of  all  data,  neces- 
sary to  facilitate  and  accelerate  the  exchange  of  radio- 
grams, as  specified  in  the  Regulations. 

ARTICLE  7. 

Each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  reserves  the 
right  to  prescribe  or  permit  at  the  stations  referred  to  in 
article  1,  apart  from  the  installation,  the  data  of  which 
are  to  be  published  in  conformity  with  article  6,  the 
installation  and  working  of  other  devices  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  special  radio  communication  without 
publishing  the  details  of  such  devices. 


6  EADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

ARTICLE  8. 

The  working  of  the  radio  stations  shall  be  organized 
as  far  as  possible  in  such  manner  as  not  to  disturb  the 

service  of  other  radio  stations. 

i 

ARTICLE  9. 

Radio  stations  are  bound  to  give  absolute  priority  to 
calls  of  distress  from  ships,  'to  similarly  answer  such  calls, 
and  to  take  such  action  with  regard  thereto  as  may  be 
required. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

To  change  the  text  of  article  9  as  follows : 

"  Radio  stations  are  bound  to  give  absolute  priority  to  the  calls  of 
distress  which  they  receive  from  ships,  to  similarly  answer  such  calls, 
and  to  take  such  action  with  regard  thereto  as  may  be  required." 

REASONS. 

It  is  desirable  to  make  clearly  apparent  that  coastal  stations  are 
not  to  be  rendered  responsible  for  calls  which  they  have  not  received 
in  consequence  of  disturbances  or  for  other  reasons. 

ABTICLE  10. 

The  total  charge  for  radiograms  shall  comprise: 

1.  The  charge  for  the  maritime  transmission,  this  is: 

(a)  The  coastal  rate,  which  shall  fall  to  the  coastal 
station; 

(b)  The  shipboard  rate,  which  shall  fall  to  the  ship- 
board station. 

2.  The  charge  for  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the 
telegraph    system,    to    be    computed   according    to    the 
general  regulations. 

The  coastal  rate  shall  be  subject  to  the  approval  of 
the  Government  of  which  the  coastal  station  is  depend- 
ent and  the  shipboard  rate  to  the  approval  of  the  Gov- 
ernment whose  flag  the  ship  is  flying. 


7  BADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

Each  of  these  rates  shall  be  fixed  in  accordance  with 
the  tariff  per  word,  pure  and  simple,  with  an  optional 
minimum  rate  per  radiogram,  on  the  basis  of  an  equi- 
table remuneration  for  the  radio  work.  Neither  rate  shall 
exceed  a  maximum  to  be  fixed  by  the  High  Contracting 
Parties. 

However,  each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  shall 
be  at  liberty  to  authorize  higher  rates  than  such  maxi- 
mum in  the  case  of  stations  of  ranges  exceeding  800 
kilometers  (431.68  nautical  miles)  or  of  stations  whose 
work  is  exceptionally  difficult  owing  to  physical  condi- 
tions in  connection  with  the  installation  or  working  of 
the  same. 

For  radiograms  proceeding  from  or  destined  for  a 
country  and  exchanged  directly  with  the  coastal  stations 
of  such  country,  the  High  Contracting  Parties  shall 
advise  one  another  of  the  rates  applicable  to  the  trans- 
mission over  the  lines  of  their  telegraph  system.  Such 
rates  shall  be  those  resulting  from  the  principle  that  the 
coastal  station  is  to  be  considered  as  the  station  of  origin 
or  of  destination. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

For  the  last  paragraph  read : 

"  Concerning  radiograms  proceeding  from  or  destined  for  a  country 
and  exchanged  directly  with  the  coastal  stations  of  such  country,  the 
rates  applicable  for  transmission  over  telegraph  lines  are,  in  the 
European  regime,  the  terminal  charges  fixed  by  Article  XXIII,  para- 
graphs 2  to  7.  of  the  Regulations  for  the  telegraph  service,  and,  in  the 
extra-European  regime,  those  fixed  in  Table  B  annexed  to  the  Regu- 
lations." 

REASONS. 

The  object  of  this  modification  is  to  simplify  the  collection  of 
charges  on  shipboard,  and  at  the  same  time  the  keeping  of  accounts. 

The  intention  is  that  reductions  in  normal  terminal  charges  pro- 
vided for  by  Article  XXIII  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations,  reduc- 
tions which  a  management  ("  administration ")  might  desire  to 
apply  to  radiograms,  shall  be  notified  by  the  bureau  at  Berne  in  the 
same  manner  that  changes  of  this  sort  relating  to  terminal  telegraph 
charges  are  notified  in  the  appendix  to  Table  1. 


8  RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

ARTICLE    XXIII    OF    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    SERVICE    REGU- 
LATIONS  REFERRED   TO   ABOVE. 

XXIII. 

1.  The  tariff  is  fixed  per  word  pure  and  simple;  nevertheless,  ea'ch  adminis- 
tration may  impose  a  minimum  charge,  which  must  not  exceed  one  franc  per 
telegram,  or,  in  the  case  of  traffic  under  the  European  regime  only,  may  collect 
the  charge  in  the  form  most  convenient  to  it,  provided  that  it  observes  the 
stipulations  of  Regulation  XXVII. 

2.  For  traffic  under  the  European  regime,  one  and  the  same  elementary  ter- 
minal rate  and  one  and  the  same  elementary  transit  rate  are  adopted  by  all  the 
States. 

3.  The  elementary  terminal  rate  is  fixed  at  9  (10)  centimes. 

4.  The  elementary  transit  rate  is  fixed  at  7  (8)  centimes. 

5.  These  two  elementary  rates  are  reduced,  respectively,  to  6  (6£)  centimes 
and  to  34  (4)  centimes  for  the  following  States :  Belgiu.ni,  Bosnia-Herzogovina, 
Bulgaria,  Crete,  Denmark,  Greece,  Luxemburg,  Montenegro,  Holland,  Portugal, 
Rouinania,  Servia,  and  Switzerland. 

6.  .Russia  and  Turkey,  owing  to  the  exceptional  conditions  of  construction 
and  maintenance  of  their  systems,  have  the  right  to  apply  terminal  and  transit 
rates  not  exceeding  30  centimes  and  24  centimes,  respectively. 

7.  All  States  have  the  right  to  reduce  their  terminal  and  transit  rates  for 
all  or  a  portion  of  their  traffic,  subject  to  the  conditions  laid  down  by  Regula- 
tion XXVI. 

8.  A  special  transit  rate  may  be  fixed,  in  each  particular  case,  for  the  sub- 
marine cable  sections. 

• 

EXTRACT  FROM  INTERNATIONAL  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION  AND  SERVICE 
REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

XXVI. 

1.  Alterations  of  the  charges  or  of  the  methods  of  application  of  the  tariffs 
which  may  be  agreed  upon  between  interested  States,  by  virtue  of  paragraph  4 
of  article  10  and  of  article  17  of  the  Convention,  must  have  for  their  object 
and  effect,  not  to  create  a  competition  in  charges  between  existing  routes,  but 
rather  to  open  to  the  public  as  many  routes  as  possible  at  equal  charges;  and 
the  necessary  combinations  shall  be  so  made  that  the  terminal  rates  of  the 
administrations  of  origin  and  destination  are  the  same,  no  matter  what  route  is 
followed. 

2.  Xo  new  charge,  or  modification,  either  of  a  general  or  partial  character, 
affecting  the  ta'riffs  shall  come  into  operation  before  the  lapse  of  at  least  15 
days  after  its  notification  by  the  International  Bureau  of  the  Telegraph  Union, 
the  date  of  notification  not  included. 

3.  The  administrations  of  the  contracting  States  undertake  to  avoid,  as  far 
as  possible,  changes  of  rates  arising  from  interruptions  of  telegraphic  communi- 
cation. 

XXVII. 

1.  The   charges   to   be  collectel   under    Regulations    XXI    to    XXV   may   be 
rounded  up  or  down,  either  after  application  of  the  normal  rates  per  word 
fixed  in  accordance  with  the  tables  annexed  to  the  present  Regulations,  or  by 
an  increase  or  decrease  of  those  normal  rates  to  suit  the  monetary  or  other 
convenience  of  the  country  of  origin. 

2.  Modifications  made  in  carrying  out  the  preceding  paragraph  apply  only 
to  the  charges  collected  by  the  office  of  origin,  and  in  no  way  affect  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  rates  accruing  to  the  other  Administrations  concerned.     They  must 
be  so  regulated  that  the  difference  between  the  charge  collected  for  a   tele- 
gram of  15  words  and  the  charge,  calculated  exactly  in  conformity  with  the 
tables  by  means  of  the  equivalents  given  in  the  following  paragraph,  shall  not 
exceed  one-fifteenth  of  the  latter  charge — that  is  to  say,  the  regulation  rate  for 
one  word. 


9  EADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

AETICLE  11. 

The  provisions  of  the  present  Convention  are  supple- 
mented by  Regulations,  which  shall  have  the  same  force 
and  go  into  effect  at  the  same  time  as  the  Convention. 

The  provisions  of  the  present  Convention  and  of  the 
Regulations  relating  thereto  may  at  any  time  be  modified 
by  the  High  Contracting  Parties  by  common  consent. 
Conferences  of  plenipotentiaries  or  simply  administrative 
conferences,  according  as  the  Convention  or  the  Regula- 
tions are  affected,  shall  take  place  from  time  to  time ;  each 
conference  shall  fix  the  time  and  place  of  the  next 
meeting. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

For.  the  second  paragraph,  read  as  follows : 

"  The  provisions  of  the  present  Convention  and  of  the  Regulations 
relating  thereto  may  at  any  time  be  modified  by  the  High  Contracting 
Parties  by  common  consent.  Conferences  of  plenipotentiaries  having 
the  power  to  modify  the  Convention  of  the  Regulations  will  be  held 
from  time  to  time ;  each  Conference  shall  fix  the  time  and  place  of  the 
next  meeting." 

REASONS. 

In  accordance  with  the  procedure  observed  by  the  Universal  Postal 
Convention,  it  is  desirable  to  modify  article  11  so  as  to  clearly  indi- 
cate that  the  Conference  has  the  power  to  treat  all  questions  which 
may  arise  affecting  either  the  Radio  Telegraph  Convention  or  the 
Service  Regulations. 

ARTICLE  12. 

Such  conferences  shall  be  composed  of  delegates  of  the 
Governments  of  the  contracting  countries. 

In  the  deliberations  each  country  shall  have  but  one 
vote. 

If  a  Government  adheres  to  the  Convention  for  its 
colonies,  possessions,  or  protectorates,  subsequent  confer- 
ences may  decide  that  such  colonies,  possessions,  or  pro- 
tectorates, or  a  part  thereof,  shall  be  considered  as  forming 
a  country  as  regards  the  application  of  the  preceding 


35144—12 2 


10  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

paragraph.  But  the  number  of  votes  at  the  disposal  of 
one  Government,  including  its  colonies,  possessions,  or 
protectorates,  shall  in  no  case  exceed  six. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

RUSSIA. 

"  In  the  deliberations  concerning  questions  of  a  military  and  polit- 
ical nature,  affecting  the  Army,  the  Navy,  and  the  national  defense 
in  general,  the  right  to  vote  of  each  State  shall  in  every  case  be  lim- 
ited to  one  vote." 

AKTICLE  13. 

An  international  bureau  shall  be  charged  with  collect- 
ing, coordinating,  and  publishing  information  of  every 
kind  relating  to  radio  telegraphy,  examining  the  applica- 
tions for  changes  in  the  Convention  or  Regulations,  pro- 
mulgating the  amendments  adopted,  and  generally  per- 
forming all  administrative  work  referred  to  it  in  the 
interest  of  international  radio  telegraphy. 

The  expenses  of  such  institution  shall  be  borne  by  all 
the  contracting  countries. 

AKTICLE  14. 

Bach  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  reserves  to  itself 
the  right  of  fixing  the  terms  on  which  it  will  receive 
radiograms  proceeding  from  or  intended  for  any  station, 
whether  on  shipboard  or  coastal,  which  is  not  subject  to 
the  provisions  of  the  present  Convention. 

If  a  radiogram  is  received  the  ordinary  rates  shall  be 
applicable  to  it. 

Any  radiogram  proceeding  from  a  station  on  ship- 
board and  received  by  a  coastal  station  of  a  contracting 
country,  or  accepted  in  transit  by  the  administration  of  a 
contracting  country,  shall  be  forwarded. 

Any  radiogram  intended  for  a  vessel  shall  also  be  for- 
warded if  the  administration  of  the  contracting  country 
has  accepted  it  originally  or  in  transit  from  a  noncontract- 
ing  country^  the  coastal  station  reserving  the  right  to 
refuse  transmission  to  a  station  on  shipboard  subject  to  a 
noncontracting  country. 


11  KADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

AETICLE  15. 

The  provisions  of  articles  8  and  9  of  this  Convention 
are  also  applicable  to  radio  installations  other  than  those 
referred  to  in  article  1. 

AETIOLE  16. 

Governments  which  are  not  parties  to  the  present  Con- 
vention shall  be  permitted  to  adhere  to  it  upon  their  re- 
quest. Such  adherence  shall  be  communicated  through 
diplomatic  channels  to  the  contracting  Government  in 
whose  territory  the  last  conference  shall  have  been  held, 
and  by  the  latter  to  the  remaining  Governments. 

The  adherence  shall  carry  with  it  the  fullest  extent 
acceptance  of  all  the  clauses  of  this  Convention  and  ad- 
mission to  all  the  advantages  stipulated  therein. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

SPAIN. 

The  Spanish  management  considers  that  a  proposition  should  be 
made  to  the  Conference  to  invite  adherence  to  the  International  Con- 
vention and  Kegulations  by  Governments  and  companies  rendering 
abnormal  service,  such  as  that  heretofore  rendered  by  the  radio 
stations  of  Morocco,  as  this  would  contribute  toward  making  a 
universal  radio  service  more  easy. 

AETICLE  17. 

The  provisions  of  articles  1,  2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8,  11,  12, 
and  17  of  the  International  Telegraph  Convention  of 
St.  Petersburg  of  July  10  to  22,  1875,  shall  be  applicable 
to  international  radio  telegraphy. 

EXTRACT  FROM  THE  INTERNATIONAL  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION,  SIGNED 
AT  ST.  PETERSBURG,  JULY  10-22,   1875. 

[Referred  to  in  article  17  of  the  Convention.] 
ARTICLE  1. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  concede  to  all  persons  the  right  to  correspond 
by  means  of  the  international  telegraphs. 

ARTICLE  2. 

They  bind  themselves  to  take  all  the  necessary  measures  for  the  purpose  of 
insuring  the  secrecy  of  the  correspondence  and  its  safe  transmission. 


12  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

ARTICLE  3. 

They  declare,  nevertheless,  that  they  accept  no  responsibility  as  regards  the 
international  telegraph  service. 

ABTICLE  5. 

Telegrams  are  classed  in  three  categories: 

1.  State  telegrams:  Those  emanating  from  the  head  of  the  Nation,  the  minis- 
ters, the  commanders  in  chief  of  the  Army  and  Naval  forces,  and  the  diplomatic 
or  consular  agents  of  the  contracting  Governments,  as  well  as  the  answers  to 
such  telegrams. 

2.  Service  telegrams:  Those  which  emanate  from  the  managements  of  the 
telegraph  service  of  the  contracting  States  and  which  relate  either  to  the  inter- 
national telegraph  service  or  to  subjects  of  public  interest  determined  jointly 
by  such  managements. 

3.  Private  telegrams. 

In  the  transmission  the  State  telegrams  shall  have  precedence  over  other 
telegrams. 

ARTICLE  6. 

State  telegrams  and  service  telegrams  may  be  issued  in  secret  language  in 
any  communications. 

Private  telegrams  may  be  exchanged  in  secret  language  between  two  States 
which  admit  of  this  mode  of  correspondence. 

The  States  which  do  not  admit  of  private  telegrams  in  secret  language  upon 
the  expedition  or  arrival  of  the  same  shall  allow  them  to  pass  in  transit, 
except  in  the  case  of  suspension  defined  in  article  8. 

ABTICLE  7. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  reserve  the  right  to  stop  the  transmission  of 
any  private  telegram  which  may  appear  dangerous  to  the  safety  of  the  State, 
or  which  may  be  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  country,  to  public  order  or  good 
morals. 

ARTICLE  8. 

Each  Government  also  reserves  the  right  to  suspend  the  international  tele- 
graph service  for  an  indefinite  period,  if  deemed  necessary  by  it,  either  gen- 
erally, or  only  over  certain  lines  and  for  certain  classes  of  correspondence,  of 
which  such  Government  shall  immediately  notify  all  the  other  contracting 
Governments. 

ARTICLE  11. 

Telegrams  relating  to  the  international  telegraph  service  of  the  contracting 
States  shall  be  transmitted  free  of  charge  over  the  entire  systems  of  such  States. 

ARTICLE  12. 

.  The  High  Contracting  Parties  shall  render  accounts  to  one  another  of  the 
charges  collected  by  each  of  them. 

ARTICLE  17. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  reserve,  respectively,  the  right  to  enter  among 
themselves  into  special  arrangements  of  any  kind  with  regard  to  points  of  the 
service  which  do  not  interest  the  States  generally. 

AETIOLB  18. 

In  case  of  disagreement  between  two  or  more  contract- 
ting  Governments  regarding  the  interpretation  or  execu- 
tion of  the  present  Convention  or  of  the  Regulations 
referred  to  in  article  11,  the  question  in  dispute  may,  by 


13  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

mutual  agreement,  be  submitted  to  arbitration.  In  such 
case  each  of  the  Governments  concerned  shall  choose  an- 
other Government  not  interested  in  the  question  at  issue. 

The  decision  of  the  arbiters  shall  be  arrived  at  by  the 
absolute  majority  of  votes. 

In  case  of  a  division  of  votes,  the  arbiters  shall  choose, 
for  the  purpose  of  settling  the  disagreement,  another  con- 
tracting Government  which  is  likewise  a  stranger  to  the 
question  at  issue.  In  case  of  failure  to  agree  on  a  choice, 
each  arbiter  shall  propose  a  disinterested  contracting 
Government,  and  lots  shall  be  drawn  between  the  Gov- 
ernments proposed.  The  drawing  of  the  lots  shall  fall 
to  the  Government  within  whose  territory .  the  inter- 
national bureau  provided  for  in  article  13  shall  be  located. 

AETIOLE  19. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  bind  themselves  to  take, 
or  propose  to  their  respective  legislatures,  the  necessary 
measures  for  insuring  the  execution  of  the  present 
Convention. 

AETICLE  20. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  shall  communicate  to 
one  another  any  laws  already  framed,  or  which  may  be 
framed,  in  their  respective  countries  relative  to  the  object 
of  the  present  Convention. 

AETIOLE  21. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  shall  preserve  their  en- 
tire liberty  as  regards  radio  installations  other  than  pro- 
vided for  in  article  1,  especially  naval  and  military 
installations,  which  shall  be  subject  only  to  the  obligations 
provided  for  in  articles  8  and  9  of  the  present  Convention. 

However,  when  such  installations  are  used  for  general 
public  service  they  shall  conform,  in  the  execution  of  such 
service,  to  the  provisions  of  the  Regulations  as  regards  the 
mode  of  transmission  and  rates. 


14  BADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

AETICLE  22. 

The  present  Convention  shall  go  into  effect  on  the  1st 
day  of  July,  1908,  and  shall  remain  in  force  for  an  in- 
definite period,  or  until  the  expiration  of  one  year  from 
the  day  when  it  shall  be  denounced  by  any  of  the  Con- 
tracting Parties. 

Such  denunciation  shall  affect  only  the  Government  in 
whose  name  it  shall  have  been  made.  As  regards  the 
other  Contracting  Powers,  the  Convention  shall  remain  in 
force. 

ARTICLE  23. 

The  present  Convention  shall  be  ratified  and  the  ratifi- 
cations exchanged  at  Berlin  with  the  least  possible  delay. 

In  witness  whereof  the  respective  plenipotentiaries 
have  signed  one  copy  of  the  Convention,  which  shall  be 
deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  Imperial  Government  of 
Germany,  and  a  copy  of  which  shall  be  transmitted  to 
each  Party. 

Done  at  Berlin,  November  3,  1906. 

For  Germany : 

KEAETKE. 

SYDOW. 
For  United  States: 

CHARLEMAGNE  TOWEE. 

H.  N.  MANNEY. 

JAMES  ALLEN. 

JOHN  I.  WATEEBUEY. 
For  Argentina: 

J.  OLMI. 
For  Austria: 

BAETH. 

.FEIES. 
For  Hungary: 

PlEEEE  DE  SZALAY. 

DE.  DE  HENNYEY. 
HoLL6s. 


15  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

For  Belgium: 

F.  DELAEGE. 

E.  BUELS. 
For  Brazil: 

OESAE  DE  CAMPOS. 
For  Bulgaria: 

Iv.  STOYAETOVITOH. 
For  Chile: 

J.  MUNOZ  HURTADO. 

J.  MEET. 
For  Denmark: 

N.  E.  MEYEE. 

I.  A.  VOEHTZ. 

For  Spain: 

IGNACIO  MUEOIA. 

RAMON  ESTRADA. 

RAFAEL  RAVENA. 

ISIDRO  OALVO%. 

MANUEL  NORIEGA. 

ANTONIO  PELAEZ-OAMPOMANES, 
For  France: 

J.  BOEDELONGUE. 

L.  GASCHAED. 

BOULANGEE. 

A.  DEVOS. 
For  Great  Britain: 

^H  BABINGTON  SMITH. 
~A.  E.  BETHELL. 

R.  L.  HIPPISLEY. 
For  Greece: 

T.  AEGYEOPOULOS. 
For  Italy: 

J.  COLOMBO. 
For  Japan: 

OSUKE  ASAITO. 

ROKUEE  YASHIEO. 

SHUNKICHI  KIMTJEA. 

ZIEO  TANAKA. 

SABUEO  HYAKUTAKE. 


16 


RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 


For  Mexico : 

For  Monaco: 
For  Norway: 

For  Netherlands 

For  Persia: 

For  Portugal: 
For  Eoumania: 
Eor  Eussia: 


For  Sweden: 

For  Turkey: 
For  Uruguay: 


JOSE  M.  PEREZ. 
J.  DEPELLEY. 

HEFT  YE. 
0.  T.  EIDEM. 

KEUYT. 

PEEK. 
HOVEN. 

HOVHANNES  KHAN. 
PAULO  BENJAMIN  CABEAL. 
GE.  CEEKEZ. 
A.  EICHHOLZ. 

A.  EULEE. 
VlCTOE  BlLIBINE. 

A!  EEMMEET. 
W.  EJEDEINE. 

HEEMAN  EYDIN. 
A.  HAMILTON. 

NAZIF  BEYT 

F.  A.  COSTANZO. 


PROPOSITIONS. 

AUSTRALIAN   FEDERATION. 

1.  It  is  indispensable  in  the  interests  of  the  public  telegraphic  serv- 
ice that  every  ship  shall  be  bound  to  communicate  with  every  other 
ship  without  distinction  as  to  the  system  employed  on  board  such 
ship  and  to  accept  communications  originating  with  such  ship  and 
those  which  may  be  transmitted  by  it. 

2.  It  is  indispensable  in  the  interests  of  the  safety  of  passengers 
that  each  ship  provided  with  radio  apparatus,  receiving  its  electrical 


17  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

energy  from  the  dynamos  of  the  ship,  shall  possess  an  installation 
for  cases  of  distress,  composed  of  a  small  storage  battery  connected 
with  a  spark  induction  coil ;  the  capacity  of  the  battery  shall  be  suffi- 
cient to  assure  communication  at  full  power  for  six  hours,  so  that 
such  communications  may  be  maintained  independently  of  the  energy 
furnished  by  the  dynamos  of  the  ship. 

3.  With  a  view  to  rendering  the  control  more  effective,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  ships  .which  have  obtained  a  license  outside  a  country 
having  radio  stations  with  which  they  carry  on  regular  correspond- 
ence shall  be  bound  to  apply  for  a  permit  authorizing  them  to  work 
in  such  country.  The  conditions  under  which  the  licenses  relating 
to  public  stations  are  granted  shall  likewise  serve  as  the  basis  for  the 
issuing  of  the  permits  in  question. 


35144—12- 


PART  2. 
SUPPLEMENTARY  AGREEMENT. 

The  undersigned  plenipotentiaries  of  the  Governments 
of  Germany,  the  United  States  of  America,  Argentina, 
Austria,  Hungary,  Belgium,  Brazil,  Bulgaria,  Chile,  Den- 
mark, Spain,  France,  Greece,  Monaco,  Norway,  the 
Netherlands,  Roumania,  Russia,  Sweden,  Turkey,  and 
Uruguay  bind  themselves  mutually,  from  the  date  of  the 
going  into  effect  of  the  Convention,  to  conform  to  the 
provisions  of  the  following  supplementary  articles : 

I. 

Each  station  on  shipboard  referred  to  in  article  1  of 
the  Convention  shall  be  bound  to  correspond  with  any 
other  station  on  shipboard  without  distinction  of  the 
radiotelegraphic  system  adopted  by  such  stations  respec- 
tively. 

II. 

The  Governments  which  have  not  adhered  to  the  fore- 
going article  may  at  any  time  signify,  by  following  the 
procedure  prescribed  by  article  16  of  the  Convention, 
that  they  bind  themselves  to  conform  to  its  provisions. 

Those  which  have  adhered  to  the  foregoing  article 
may  at  any  time,  under  the  same  conditions  as  provided 
for  in  article  22,  signify  their  intention  to  cease  con- 
forming to  its  provisions. 

III. 

This  agreement  shall  be  ratified  and  the  ratifications 
exchanged  at  Berlin  with  the  least  possible  delay. 

In  witness  whereof  the  respective  plenipotentaries 
have  signed  one  copy  of  the  present  agreement,  which 

18 


19 


RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 


shall  be  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment of  Germany,  and  a  copy  of  which  shall  be  trans- 
mitted to  each  of  the  Parties. 

Done  at  Berlin,  November  3,  1906. 

For  Germany: 

KEAETKE. 

SYDOW. 
For  United  States : 

CHAELEMAGNE  TOWEE. 

H.  K  MANNEY. 

JAMES  ALLEN. 

JOHX  I.  WATEBBTJEY. 


For  Argentina: 
For  Austria: 

For  Hungary: 

For  Belgium : 

For  Brazil: 
For  Bulgaria: 
For  Chile: 

For  Denmark : 


J.  OLMI. 

• 

BAETH. 
FEIES. 

PlEEEE  DE  SZALAY. 

DE,  DE  HENSTYEY. 
HOLLOS. 

F.  DELAEGE. 
E.  BUELS. 

CESAE  BE  CAMPOS. 
Iv.  STOYANOVITCH. 

J.  Mirfroz  HURTABO. 
J.  MEEY. 

]ST.  R.  MEYEE, 
I.  A.  VOEHTZ. 


20 


KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BEELJN. 


For  Spain: 


For  France: 


For  Greece: 
For  Monaco: 
For  Norway: 

For  Netherlands 

For  Roumania: 
For  Russia: 


For  Sweden: 

For  Turkey: 
For  Uruguay: 


IGNACIO  MUECIA. 

RAMON  ESTRADA. 

RAFAEL  RAVENA. 

ISIDRO  OALVO. 

MANUEL  NORIEGA. 

ANTONIO  PELAEZ-CAMPOMANES, 

J.  BORDELONGTJE. 
L.  GASCHARD. 

BOULANGER. 

A.  DEVOS. 

T.  ARGYROPOULOS. 

J.  DEPELLEY. 

HEFTYE. 
0.  T.  EIDEM. 

KRUYT. 

PERK. 

HOVEN. 

GR.  CERKEZ. 

A.  EICHOLZ. 
A.  EULER, 
VICTOR  BILIBINE. 
A.  REMMERT. 
W.  KEDRINE. 

HERMAN  RYDIN. 
A.  HAMILTON. 

NAZIF  BEY. 

F.  A.  COSTANZO. 


PART  3. 
FINAL  PROTOCOL. 

At  the  moment  of  signing  the  Convention  adopted  by 
the  International  Radio  Telegraphic  Conference  of  Berlin, 
the  undersigned  plenipotentiaries  have  agreed  as  follows : 

i. 

The  High  Contracting*  Parties  agree  that  at  the  next 
conference  the  number  of  votes  to  which  each  country  is 
entitled  (article  12  of  the  Convention)  shall  be  decided 
at  the  beginning  of  the  deliberations,  so  that  the  colonies, 
possessions,  or  protectorates  admitted  to  the  privilege  of 
voting  may  exercise  their  right  to  vote  during  the  entire 
course  of  the  proceedings  of  such  conference. 

This  decision  shall  be  of  immediate  effect  and  remain 
in  force  until  amended  by  a  subsequent  conference. 

'As  regards  the  next  conference,  applications  for  the 
admission  of  new  votes  in  favor  of  colonies,  possessions, 
or  protectorates  which  may  have  adhered  to  the  Conven- 
tion shall  be  addressed  to  the  International  Bureau  at  least 
six  months  prior  to  the  date  of  the  convening  of  such  con- 
ference. Notice  of  such  applications  shall  at  once  be 
given  to  the  remaining  contracting  Governments,  which 
may,  within  the  period  of  two  months  from  the  receipt  of 
the  notice,  formulate  similar  applications. 

II. 

Each  contracting  Government  may  reserve  the  right  to 
designate,  according  to  circumstances,  certain  coastal  sta- 
tions to  be  exempted  from  the  obligation  imposed  by 
article  3  of  the  Convention,  provided  that,  as  soon  as  this 
21 


• 
22  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

measure  goes  into  effect,  there  shall  be  opened  within  its 
territory  one  or  several  stations  subject  to  the  obligations 
of  article  3,  insuring,  within  the  region  where  the  ex- 
empted stations  are  located,  such  radio  service  as  will 
satisfy  the  needs  of  the  public  service.  The  Governments 
desiring  to  reserve  this  right  shall  give  notice  thereof  in 
the  form  provided  for  in  the  second  paragraph  of  article 
16  of  the  Convention,  not  later  than  three  months  before 
the  Convention  goes  into  effect  or,  in  case  of  subsequent 
adhesion,  at  the  time  of  such  adhesion. 

The  countries  whose  names  follow  below  declare  now 
that  they  will  not  reserve  such  right : 

Germany, 

United  States, 

Argentina, 

Austria, 

Hungary, 

Belgium, 

Brazil, 

Bulgaria, 

Chile, 

Greece, 

Mexico, 

Monaco, 

Norway, 

Netherlands, 

Roumania, 

Russia, 

Sweden, 

Uruguay. 

III. 

The  manner  of  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  the  fore- 
going article  shall  be  at  the  discretion  of  the  Government 
which  takes  advantage  of  the  right  of  exemption;  such 
Government  shall  be  at  liberty  to  decide  from  time  to 
time,  in  its  own  judgment,  how  many  stations  and  what 
stations  shall  be  exempted.  Such  Government  shall 
likewise  be  at  liberty  as  regards  the  manner  of  carrying 


23  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

out  the  provision  relative  to  the  opening  of  other  stations 
subject  to  the  obligations  of  article  3,  insuring,  within  the 
region  where  the  exempted  stations  are  located,  such 
radio  service  as  will  satisfy  the  needs  of  the  public  service. 

IV. 

It  is  understood  that,  in  order  not  to  impede  scien- 
tific progress,  the  provisions  of  article  3  of  the  Conven- 
tion shall  not  prevent  the  eventual  employment  of  a 
radio  system  incapable  of  communicating  with  other  sys- 
tems; provided,  however,  that  such  incapacity  shall  be 
due  to  the  specific  nature  of  such  system  and  that  it  shall 
not  be  the  result  of  devices  adopted  for  the  sole  purpose 
of  preventing  intercommunications. 

'  •     '  '  •      v. 

The  adherence  to  the  Convention  by  the  Government 
of  a  country  having  colonies,  possessions,  or  protectorates 
shall  not  carry  with  it  the  adherence  of  its  colonies,  pos- 
sessions, or  protectorates  unless  a  declaration  to  that 
effect  is  made  by  such  Government.  Such  colonies,  pos- 
sessions, and  protectorates  as  a  whole,  or  each  of  them 
separately,  may  form  the  subject  of  a  separate  adherence 
or  a  separate  denunciation  within  the  provisions  of 
articles  16  and  22  of  the  Convention. 

It  is  understood  that  the  stations  on  board  of  vessels 
whose  headquarters  is  a  port  in  a  colony,  possession,  or 
protectorate  may  be  deemed  as  subject  to  the  authority 
of  such  colony,  possession,  or  protectorate. 

VI. 

Note  is  taken  of  the  following  declaration : 
The  Italian  delegation  in  signing  the  Convention  does 
so  with  the  reservation  that  the  Convention  can  not  be 
ratified  on  the  part  of  Italy  until  the  date  of  the  expira- 
tion of  her  contracts  with  Mr.  Marconi  and  his  company, 
or  at  an  earlier  date  if  the  Government  of  the  King  of 


24  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

Italy  shall  succeed  in  fixing  such  date  by  negotiations 
with  Mr.  Marconi  and  his  company. 

VII. 

In  case  one  or  several  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties 
shall  not  ratify  the  Convention,  it  shall  nevertheless  be 
valid  as  to  the  parties  which  shall  have  ratified  it. 

In  witness  whereof  the  undersigned  plenipotentaries 
have  drawn  up  the  present  Final  Protocol,  which  shall 
be  of  the  same  force  and  effect  as  though  the  provisions 
thereof  had  been  embodied  in  the  text  of  the  Convention 
itself  to  which  it  has  reference,  and  they  have  signed 
one  copy  of  the  same,  .which  shall  be  deposited  in  the 
archives  of  the  Imperial  Government  of  Germany,  and 
a  copy  of  which  shall  be  transmitted  to  each  of  the 
parties. 

Done  at  Berlin,  November  3,  1906. 

[Signed  by  all  plenipotentiaries  who  signed  the  Convention, 
pp.  14,  16.]  ' 

PROPOSITIONS. 

CANADA. 

NEW  ARTICLE  (VI  a) . 

"  The  Canadian  Government  reserves  the  right  to  fix  radio  rates 
according  to  the  method  followed  by  the  telegraph  lines  of  North 
America,  by  charging  a  fixed  rate  for  the  first  10  words — the  address 
and  signature  not  being  charged  for — and  a  rate  for  each  word  above 
10  words,  it  being  possible  for  the  fixed  rate  to  be  greater  or  less 
than  the  rate  fixed  by  the  Eegulations  for  a  radiogram  of  10  words. 

"  The  said  Government  furthermore  reserves  the  right  to  fix  sepa- 
rately for  each  of  its  coastal  stations  a  total  maritime  rate,  the  coastal 
rate  amounting  to  three-fifths  and  the  shipboard  rate  to  two-fifths 
of  this  total  rate.  The  shipboard  rates  thus  computed  shall  apply  to 
all  radiograms  transmitted  by  Canadian  coastal  stations  to  any  sta- 
tion on  shipboard." 

REASONS. 

The  Canadian  management  finds  itself  obliged  to  request  this 
change  because  of  the  peculiar  situation  of  the  telegraph  systems  of 
its  country. 

The  Canadian  management  is  endeavoring  to  adopt  the  inter- 
national method  of  calculating  the  cost  of  telegrams  in.  all  that  con- 
cerns the  operations  of  its  coastal  stations,  and  it  is  very  possible 
that  this  object  will  be  attained  before  the  conference  takes  place, 
in  which  case  the  above  propositions  shall  be  annulled. 


PART  4. 


SERVICE  REGULATIONS  AFFIXED  TO 
THE  INTERNATIONAL  RADIO  TELE- 
GRAPH CONVENTION. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

1.  Organization  of  radio  stations 25 

2.  Hours  of  service  of  coastal  stations 44 

3.  Form  and  posting  of  radiograms 45 

4.  Rates 53 

5.  Collection  of  charges 58 

6.  Transmission  of  radiograms: 

a)  Signals  of  transmission 60 

6)  Order  of  transmission 63 

c)  Method  of  calling  radio  stations  and  transmission  of  radiograms 63 

d)  Acknowledgment  of  receipt  and  conclusion  of  work : 

e)  Direction  to  be  followed  in  sending  radiograms ...  79 

7.  Delivery  of  radiograms  at  their  destination 82 

8.  Special  telegrams „ 86 

9.  Files 92 

10.  Rebates  and  reimbursements. 92 

11.  Accounts  and  payment  of  charges : . . .  96 

12.  International  bureau 102 

13.  Miscellaneous  provisions 106 

1.  OBGASTIZATIOK  OF  RADIO  STATIONS. 

• 

The  choice  of  radio  apparatus  and  devices  to  be  used 
by  the  coastal  stations  and  stations  on  shipboard  shall  be 
unrestricted.  The  installation  of  such  stations  shall  as 
far  as  possible  keep  pace  with  scientific  and  technical 
progress. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

ITALY   (1st). 

To  consider  in  the  Radio  Telegraph  Convention  and  also  in  the 
Regulations  the  definition  of  aerial  radio  stations.      By  this  name 
shall  be  meant  stations  installed  on  board  dirigibles,  balloons,  and 
aeroplanes. 
25 


35144—12- 


26  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

To  consider  also  all  that  concerns  the  correspondence  of  aerial  sta- 
tions with  other  radio  stations. 

REASONS. 

The  necessity  for  the  propositions  is  self -evident-. 

Precise  propositions  have  not  been  formulated  for  introduction  into 
the  Convention  and  Regulations  in  view  of  the  special  information 
which  practical  experience  will  be  able  to  furnish  from  time  to  time 
on  the  subject  of  radio  stations,  and  anticipating  that  the  Conference 
of  London  will  not  meet  until  the  month  of  June,  1912. 

ITALY  (2d). 

Add  after  the  words  "  stations  on  shipboard  shall  be  unrestricted," 
the  sentence  wrhich  follows : 

"  Nevertheless  the  radio  apparatus  and  devices  shall  be  of  a  kind 
to  permit  transmission  by  musical  note  for  public  correspondence." 

REASONS. 

This  addition  has  for  its  object  the  introduction  of  the  use  of  sys- 
tems having  a  musical  note  for  public  correspondence  with  a  view  to 
preventing,  if  possible,  the  detrimental  effects  due  to  atmospheric 
discharges.  In  this  way  radio  correspondence  can  be  carried  on  more 
successfully. 

II. 

Two  wave  lengths,  one  of  300  meters  and  the  other 
of  600  meters,  are  authorized  for  general  public  service. 
Every  coastal  station  opened  to  such  service  shall  use 
one  or  the  other  of  these  two  wave  lengths.  During  the 
whole  time  that  a  station  is  open  to  service  it  shall  be  in 
condition  to  receive  calls  according  to  its  wave  length, 
and  no  other  wave  length  shall  be  used  by  it  for  the 
service  of  general  public  correspondence.  Each  Gov- 
ernment may,  however,  authorize  in  coastal  stations  the 
employment  of  other  wave  lengths  designed  to  insure 
long-range  service  or  any  service  other  than  for  general 
public  correspondence  established  in  conformity  with  the 
provisions  of  the  Convention,  provided  such  wave  lengths 
do  not  exceed  600  meters  or  that  they  do  exceed  1,600 
meters. 


27  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Add  the  following  paragraph: 

"  In  particular  the  stations  used  for  sending  signals  designed  to 
facilitate  the  determination  of  the  position  of  ships  shall  not  employ 
wave  lengths  greater  than  100  meters.  The  coastal  stations  which 
send  time  signals  or  transmit  meteorological  telegrams  shall  use  a 
wave  length  of  2,500  meters." 

REASONS. 

It  seems  necessary  to  fix  a  maxium  wave  length  for  radiophares 
(radio  stations  for  aids  to  navigation)  in  order  to  avoid  the  dis- 
turbances which  these  stations  might  introduce  into  the  working  of 
other  stations.  A  maxium  wave  length  of  100  meters  would  be 
sufficient. 

In  the  same  manner  it  would  be  of  advantage  to  provide  a  wave 
length  to  be  employed  by  coastal  stations  sending  time  signals  or 
transmitting  meteorological  telegrams.  This  measure  would  facili- 
tate the  reception  of  such  signals  and  correspondence  by  the  stations 
on  shipboard.  This  wave  length  might  be  fixed  at  2,500  meters. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Change  the  text  of  Article  II  as  follows : 

"  Two  wave  lengths,  one  of  600  meters  and  the  other  of  300  meters, 
are  authorized  for  the  general  public  service.  Every  coastal  station 
opened  to  such  service  should  designate  as  its  normal  wave  length 
either  the  wave  length  of  600  meters  or  that  of  300  meters.  During 
the  whole  time  that  a  station  is  open  to  service  it  shall  be  in  condi- 
tion to  receive  calls  made  by  means  of  its  normal  wave  length. 
Nevertheless  each  government,  etc." 

REASONS. 

Experience  has  shown  that  it  is  desirable  that  coastal  stations  shall 
be  free  to  use  that  one  of  the  two  wave  lengths  reserved  for  the 
general  public  correspondence  which  is  best  suited  to  its  needs. 

According  to  the  present  provisions  of  Article  II,  stations  are 
theoretically  restricted  to  the  use  of  one  or  the  other  of  these  two 
wave  lengths. 

ITALY  (1st). 

Replace  the  words : 

"  Two  wave  lengths,  one  of  300  meters  and  one  of  600  meters,"  by : 

"  Two  wave  lengths,  one  of  400  meters  and  the  other  of  600  meters." 

REASONS. 

The  wave  length  of  400  meters  is  now  the  one  in  current  usage. 
It  is  therefore  a  question  of  taking  account  of  this  fact  in  the 
Regulations. 


28  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

ITALY   (2d). 

At  the  end  of  the  same  article  add : 

"  The  musical  note  which  coastal  stations  shall  adopt  for  public 

correspondence  shall  lie  between  -  -  ^indicate  a  low 

musical  note  or  the  number  of  simple  vibrations  which  form  it)  and 

-  (indicate  another  higher  musical  note  or  the  number 

of  vibrations  which  form  it) ." 

REASONS. 

In  connection  with  the  proposition  referring  to  Article  I  it  seems 
necesary  to  fix  and  indicate  the  musical  notes  which  stations  shall 
use.  This  is  for  the  purpose  of  regulating  the  use  of  transmission  by 
musical  note  which  facilitates  communications  carried  on  simul- 
taneously. 

JAPAN. 

Amend  Article  II  as  follows,  and  suppress  the  present  Article  III: 

"ARTICLE  II. 

"  The  wave  length  to  be  employed  by  coastal  stations  and  stations 
on  shipboard  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  Convention  shall  not 
exceed  600  meters  or  shall  exceed  1,600  meters. 

"  Coastal  stations  open  to  general  public  correspondence  and  all 
stations  on  shipboard  shall,  however,  in  order  to  reply  to  calls  from 
other  stations,  always  regulate  their  receiving  wave  length  to  300 
meters,  at  least  when  they  are  not  in  communication  with  another 
station." 

REASONS. 

It  does  not  seem  necessary  to  limit  the  wave  length  to  two  kinds, 
one  of  300  meters  and  one  of  600  meters.  It  seems  preferable,  rather, 
in  the  interests  of  the  service  and  with  the  object  of  lessening  cases 
of  interferences  to  allow  each  office  to  employ  the  wave  length  which 
it  considers  best.  It  is  nevertheless  indispensable  that  the  wave 
length  for  calls  shall  be  made  uniform. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Read  as  follows: 

"Wave  lengths  of  300  to  600  meters  shall  be  authorized  for  the 
service  of  general  public  correspondence.  Every  soastal  .station  open 
to  such  service  shall  designate  a  wave  length  between  the  limits  indi- 
cated above  as  its  normal  wave  length.  During  the  whole  time  that 
a  station  is  open  to  service  it  shall  be  in  condition  to  receive  calls 
made  by  means  of  its  normal  wave  length. 

"  Each  Government  may,  however,  authorize  in  coastal  stations 
the  employment  of  other  wave  lengths  designed  to  insure  long-range 
service  or  any  service  other  than  for  general  public  correspondence 
established  in"  conformity  with  the  provisions  of  the  Convention,  pro- 
vided such  wave  lengths  do  not  exceed  600  meters  or  that  they  do 
exceed  1,600  meters." 


29  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

Experience  has  shown  that  the  Regulation  fixing  the  wave  lengths 
according  to  Articles  II  and  III  are  too  limited. 

III. 

1.  The  normal  wave  length  for  stations  on  shipboard 
shall  be  300  meters.     Every  station  on  shipboard  shall 
be  installed  in  such  manner  as  to  be  able  to  use  this  wave 
length.     Other  wave  lengths  may  be  employed  by  such 
stations  provided  they  do  not  exceed  600  meters. 

2.  Vessels  of  small  tonnage  which  are  unable  to  have 
plants  on  board  insuring  a  wave  length  of  300  meters 
may  be  authorized  to  use  a  shorter  wave  length. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

AUSTRIA. 

Paragraphs  1  and  2.    Replace  the  figure  "  300  "  by  the  figure  "  600." 

REASONS. 

The  normal  wave  length  of  the  majority  of  stations  on  shipboard 
is  at  present  600  meters,  and  the  wave  length  of  the  antennae  of  these 
vessels  is  at  present  almost  always  greater  than  300  meters.  To  attain 
a  wave  length  of  300  meters  at  present  fixed  by  the  service  regulation, 
these  vessels  are  compelled  to  intercalate  condensers  in  the  antennae, 
which  are  detrimental  to  the  range  of  communication. 

Vessels  whose  antennae  have  a  wave,  length  less  than  300  meters 
will  be  able  to  attain  a  wave  length  of  600  meters  by  switching  in 
additional  inductance. 

FRANCE. 

Paragraph  2.    Complete  this  paragraph  as  follows : 
"     *     *     *     a  wave  length  less  than  this  number  of  meters  but 
greater  than  150  meters." 

REASONS. 

It  would  be  of  advantage  to  use  for  correspondence  only  wave 
lengths  greater  than  150  meters,  in  order  that  radiophares  may  be 
able  to  use,  without  fear  of  interference,  wave  lengths  of  100  meters. 

GREAT  BRITAIN   (1st). 

Paragraph  1.    Replace  the  present  text  with  the  following : 
"The  normal  wave  length  for  stations  on  shipboard  shall  be  600 
meters,  and  this  wave  length  shall  not  be  exceeded  for  transmission. 


30  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

Every  station  on  shipboard  shall  be  installed  in  such  manner  as  to 
be  able  to  use  this  wave  length,  as  well  as  that  of  300  meters.  Inter- 
mediate wave  lengths  shall  not  be  used,  except  in  special  cases,  and 
only  with  the  approval  of  the  managements  to  which  the  coastal 
stations  and  stations  on  shipboard  in  question  are  subject." 

REASONS. 

Experience  has  showrn  that  a  wave  length  of  600  meters  is  more 
generally  adopted  by  stations  on  shipboard  for  the  reason  that  it 
affords  a  greater  radius  of  action  than  a  wave  length  of  300  meters 
and  is  better  adapted  to  the  needs  of  public  correspondence. 

Stations  on  shipboard  should  also  be  able  to  use  a  wave  length  of 
300  meters  in  order  to  conform  to  the  provisions  of  the  new  article 
to  be  inserted  after  Article  III. 

GREAT  BRITAIN   (2d). 

Paragraph  2.    Change  the  text,  as  follows : 

"  Paragraph  1  shall  not  apply  to  vessels  which  it  would  be  im- 
possible, or  at  least  very  difficult,  to  equip  with  a  plant  producing 
a  wave  length  of  600  or  300  meters.  In  such  case  the  vessels  shall 
be  authorized  to  employ  a  wave  length  of  150  meters." 

REASONS. 

It  is  considered  advisable  to  fix  a  special  wave  length  for  the  use 
of  vessels  of  small  tonnage  which  could  not  readily  be  supplied  with 
apparatus  permitting  the  use  of  the  wave  lengths  provided  for  gen- 
eral public  correspondence. 

ITALY. 

Paragraph  1.    Replace  the  present  text  with  the  following: 

"  1.  The  normal  wave  lengths  for  stations  on  shipboard  shall  also  be 
400  and  600  meters.  Every  station  on  shipboard  shall  be  installed 
in  such  manner  as  to  be  able  to  use  without  difficulty  the  wave  lengths 
cited  above.  For  communications  at  long  range,  however,  other 
wave  lengths  may  be  employed  by  such  stations,  provided  they  do  not 
exceed  1,600  meters."  (Error?) 

Paragraph  2.  Replace  the  words  "  wave  length  of  300  meters," 
referring  to  paragraph  2  of  the  article  cited  above  by  the  following 
words : 

"  Wave  length  of  400  meters." 

Add  paragraph  3,  as  follows : 

"  3.  The  musical  note  which  stations  on  shipboard  shall  use  for  the 

transmission  of  public  radio  correspondence  shall  lie  between 

(indicate  a  high  musical  note  or  the  number  of  simple  vibrations 

which  form  it)  and (indicate  another  higher  musical  note  or  its 

number  of  vibrations)." 

REASONS. 

The  same  as  given  for  the  propositions  referring  to  Article  II. 

JAPAN. 

Suppress  the  present  Article  III. 


31  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

(See  the  proposition  above  referring  to  the  amendment' of  Art.  II.) 

NETHERLANDS. 

Kead  Article  III,  as  follows: 

"  Wave  lengths  up  to  600  meters  shall  be  authorized  for  stations 
on  shipboard  for  the  general  public  service.  Every  station  on  ship- 
board shall  designate  one  of  these  wave  lengths  as  its  normal  wave 
length.  Other  wave  lengths  may  be  employed  by  such  stations,  pro- 
vided they  exceed  1,600  meters." 

REASONS. 
(See  the  reasons  referring  to  Art.  II.) 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

New  article  to  be  inserted  at  the  end  of  Article  III : 
"Communications  between  a  station  on  shipboard  and  a  coastal 
station  shall  be  carried  on  on  the  part  of  both  by  means  of  the  same 
wave  length.  When  in  a  particular  case  much  interference  results 
therefrom  the  two  stations  may  by  common  consent  change  this  wave 
length.  In  this  w^y  a  coastal  station  and  a  station  on  shipboard 
can  agree  between  themselves  to  pass  from  a  wave  length  of  600 
meters,  by  means  of  which  they  are  corresponding,  to  one  of  300 
meters,  or  from  300  to  600  meters.  The  stations  shall,  however,  re- 
turn to  their  normal  wave  lengths  as  soon  as  the  transmission  of  the 
message  or  messages  is  finished." 


Experience  has  shown  the  necessity  for  introducing  this  provision 
in  order  to  prevent  unnecessary  interference  and  to  provide  all  the 
means  of  communication  possible  for  public  correspondence. 

IV. 

1.  The  International  Bureau  shall  be  charged  with 
drawing  up  a  list  of  radio  stations  of  the  class  referred  to 
in  article  1  of  the  Convention.  Such  list  shall  contain 
for  each  station  the  following  data: 

(1)  Name,  nationality,  and  geographical  location  in 
the  case  of  coastal  stations;  name,   nationality,   distin- 
guishing signal  of  the  International  Code,  and  name  of 
ship's  home  port  in  the  case  of  stations  on  shipboard. 

(2)  Call  letters    (the   calls   shall  be   distinguishable 
from  one  another,  and  each  must  be  formed  of  a  group 
of  three  letters) . 


32  RADIO   TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

(3)  Normal  range. 

(4)  Radio  system. 

(5)  Class  of  receiving  apparatus  (recording,  acoustic, 
or  other  apparatus) . 

(6)  Wave  lengths  used  by  the  station    (the  normal 
wave  length  to  be  underscored) . 

(7)  Nature  of  sendee  carried  on  by  the  station: 
General  public  correspondence. 

Limited  public  correspondence  (correspondence  with 
vessels  .  .  .  .;  correspondence  with  shipping  lines  .  .  .  .; 
correspondence  with  ships  fitted  with  apparatus  of  the 
....  system,  etc.) . 

Long-range  public  correspondence. 

Correspondence  of  private  interests. 

Special  correspondence  (exclusively  official  correspond- 
ence) ,  etc. 

(8)  Hours  during  which  the  station  is  open. 

(9)  Coastal  rate  or  shipboard  rate. 

2.  The  list  shall  also   contain  such  data   relating  to 
radio  stations  other  than  those  specified  in  article  1  of 
the  Convention  as  may  be  communicated  to  the  Interna- 
tional Bureau  by  the  management  of  the  Radio  Service 
(" administration")    to  which  such  stations  are  subject. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY  (1st). 

Paragraph  1.  Replace  the  present  text  by  the  following: 
"  1.  The  International  Bureau  shall  draw  up,  publish,  and  revise 
from  time  to  time  an  official  chart  of  coastal  stations  in  which  the 
normal  range  of  these  stations  shall  also  be  indicated.  This  chart 
shall  contain,  in  addition,  data  concerning  the  principal  lines  of 
steam  navigation  and  the  time  usually  employed  by  vessels  to  make 
the  voyage  between  the  different  ports." 

REASONS. 

The  reception  of  telegrams  will  be  facilitated  if  the  posting  offices 
have  at  their  disposition  a  chart  drawn  up  in  accordance  with  a 
uniform  system  which  shall  give  the  information  mentioned  above. 

"  2.  It  shall  draw  up  and  publish  a  list  of  radio  stations  of  the 
class  referred  to  in  article  1  of  the  Convention,  and  from  time  to  time 
supplements  to  this  list  announcing  additions  and  changes.  Such 
list  shall  contain  for  each  station  the  following  data." 


33  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

With  a  view  to  making  the  wording  of  this  paragraph  conform  as 
closely  as  possible  to  that  of  Article  LXXXIV,  paragraph  5,  of  the 
Telegraph  Regulations,  as  revised  at  Lisbon. 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE    REGULATIONS,    MENTIONED    ABOVE. 

LXXXIV. 

5.  It  compiles  and  publishes  a  nomenclature  of  the  telegraph  offices  open  for 
the  international  service,  including  coast  radio  stations  and  periodical  annexes 
to  this  work,  showing  the  necessary  additions  and  modifications. 

GERMANY   (2d). 

Change  paragraph  1  as  follows: 

"  1.  In  the  case  of  coastal  stations:  Name,  nationality,  and  geo- 
graphical location.  In  the  case  of  stations  on  shipboard:  Name, 
nationality,  distinguishing  signal  of  the  International  Code,  name  of 
the  ship's  home  port,  name  of  the  charterer,  name  of  the  contractor 
who  works  the  station  when  it  is  not  worked  by  the  charterer  himself, 
character  of  the  personnel  operating  the  station  (professional  radio 
operators  or  the  personnel  of  the  ship)." 

REASONS. 

In  the  interest  of  the  accounts  and  in  consideration  of  the  two  dif- 
ferent examinations  proposed  for  radio  operators  on  shipboard  (pro- 
fessional operators  and  the  personnel  of  the  ships ;  see  the  proposition 
made  under  paragraph  3  (b)  of  Article  VI). 

SPAIN. 

It  would  be  well  to  submit  for  consideration  by  the  Conference  the 
desirability  of  having  the  descriptive  lists  contain  the  names  of  the 
companies  working  the  stations  on  shipboard  if  they  are  not  worked 
by  the  owners  of  the  ships.  This  management  is  of  the  opinion  that 
such  shipowners  should  enter  into  an  agreement  with  the  station 
contractors,  as  otherwise  complications  would  arise  in  accounting 
with  a  National  Government,  even  though  the  result  should  be  advan- 
tageous to  the  station  contractors. 

FRANCE. 

Paragraph  1.  Eeplace  this  paragraph  with  the  following  text : 

"  The  International  Bureau  shall  be  charged  with  drawing  up  a 
list,  of  radio  stations  of  the  class  referred  to  in  article  1  of  the  Con- 
vention. Such  list  shall  contain  for  each  station  the  following  data : 

"(1)  Name,  nationality,  and  geographical  location  indicated  by  the 
territorial  subdivision  in  the  case  of  coastal  stations ;  name,  national- 
ity, distinguishing  signal  of  the  International  Code  of  signals  in  the 
case  of  stations  on  shipboard ; 

"(2)   Normal  range  by  day  and  by  night; 


35141—12 5 


34  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

"  (3)  Characteristic  indications  of  the  transmitting  system  (musical 
note,  etc.) ; 

"(4)  Wave  lengths  used  by  the  stations  (the  normal  wave  length 
to  be  underscored) ; 

"(5)  Nature  of  the  services  carried  on  by  the  station  and  the  dura- 
tion of  the  service ; 

"(6)  Indication  of  the  time  and  manner  of  sending  time  signals 
and  meteorological  telegrams; 

"(7)   Coastal  rate  or4  shipboard  rate." 

REASONS. 

The  present  list  contains  certain  unnecessary  data  which  has  no 
other  effect  but  to  add  to  the  weight  and  increase  the  cost  of  the 
document. 

It  is  proposed  therefore  to  publish  only  the  necessary  data  for 
fixing  the  charges  and  dispatching  radiograms. 

The  geographical  position  shall  be  indicated  merely  by  means  of 
the  territorial  subdivision. 

Call  letters  shall  be  omitted  and  replaced  by  the  distinguishing 
signal  of  the  International  Code  of  Signals.  It  is,  in  fact,  unneces- 
sary to  have  two  signals  designating  the  same  ship. 

Two  numbers  should  be  given  for  the  range ;  one  for  the  range  by 
day,  the  other  for  the  range  by  night,  in  view  of  the  difference  exist- 
ing between  these  two  numbers. 

Information  concerning  the  nature  of  the  radio  system  and  the 
class  of  receiving  apparatus  is  not  needed;  it  seems  preferable  to 
replace  such  data  by  information  concerning  the  character  of  the 
transmission. 

As  will  be  seen  further  on,  the  nature  and  duration  of  the  service 
carried  on  by  the  station  should  be  indicated  by  the  use  of  letters. 

The  hour  and  the  manner  of  sending  time  signals  and  meteorological 
radiograms  should  be  indicated  in  the  list  in  view  of  the  interest 
which  a  knowledge  of  these  elements  would  have  for  ships. 

Finally,  the  adoption  of  the  proposition  presented  under  Article 
XII  would  make  the  publication  or  the  Qoastal  rates  and  shipboard 
rates  unnecessary  since  the  rates  there  indicated  are  the  ones  which 
would  be  employed. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Paragraph  1.     Under  1.  cancel: 
"  Distinguishing  signal  of  the  International  Code." 
Under  3,  replace  the  present  text  by  the  following: 
tt  3.  Normal  range  by  day,  and  in  case  of  stations  continuously  open 
to  service  also  the  normal  range  by  night." 

REASONS. 

It  is  desirable  to  make  known  as  fully  as  possible  the  true  i;  normal 
tange."  It  has  happened  that  a  ship,  although  within  the  radius  of 
action  of  the  normal  range  of  a  station  as  published  in  the  lists,  has 
not  been  able  to  communicate  with  this  station. 


35  RADIO  TELEGEAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

BRITISH  INDIES. 

It  seems  necessary  for  the  International  Bureau  to  publish,  in  con- 
nection with  the  name  of  each  ship  or  of  each  station,  the  name  and 
address  of  the  special  central  office  with  which  accounts  should  be 
settled. 

REASONS. 

At  present  it  is  necessary  in  the  British  Indies  to  obtain  this  in- 
formation from  the  operator  on  board  the  ship. 

ITALY   (1st). 

In  case  of  the  approval  of  the  proposition  relating  to  Articles  I,  II, 
and  VI  an  additional  paragraph  should  be  added  to  Article  IV,  num- 
ber 6a,  to  read  as  follows: 

"6a.  The  musical  tone  of  tfre  transmission;" 

ITALY  (2d). 

Add  a  new  item  under  paragraph  1,  to  read  as  follows: 

"  10.  Management,  company,  or  individual  who  works  a  station." 

REASONS. 

The  addition  of  the  new  item  under  paragraph  1  is  necessary  to 
indicate  by  whom  a  station  is  worked.  It  may  in  fact  happen  that 
coastal  stations  may  be  worked  by  private  companies  instead  of  by 
the  Government  of  the  country  in  which  they  are  installed.  Further- 
more the  stations  on  shipboard  may  be  worked  by  a  radio  telegraph 
company  and  not  by  the  navigation  companies  who  own  the  ships  in 
which  the  stations  are  installed. 

The  information  in  question  is  necessary  when  a  special  form  of 
accounting  for  radio  telegraphy,  provided  and  authorized  by  the 
regulations,  must  be  followed. 

The  Italian  management  recently  availed  itself  of  this  privilege 
of  regulating  in  a  special  manner  the  settlement  of  its  accounts  with 
the  Marconi  company. 

ITALY  (3d). 

Paragraph  2.  Replace  the  words  "by  the  management  to  which 
such  stations  are  subject,"  by  the  following  text: 

"By  the  management  or  the  company  to  which  such  stations  are 
subject,  either  in  the  case  of  managements  adhering  to  the  Conven- 
tion or  of  managements  which  are  not  adherents  but  which  have  made 
the  declaration  referred  to  in  Article  IX." 

REASONS. 

The  change  proposed  for  the  last  item  of  the  same  article  has  for 
its  object  the  introduction  into  the  list  of  all  stations  open  to  public 
service,  provided  the  interested  managements  have  assured  the  pay- 
ment of  the  charges  which  may  eventually  become  due. 


36  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

JAPAN. 

Paragraph  1.    Revise  item  3  as  follows: 

"3.  Normal  range  (indicate  the  normal  range  by  day  and  that  by 
night) ;" 

REASONS. 

There  is  a  sensibly  appreciable  difference  between  the  range  by 
day  and  that  by  night.  It  therefore  seems  necessary  to  indicate  the 
normal  range  by  classing  it  under  two  heads. 

FRANCE. 

Add  a  third  paragraph  as  follows : 

"  3.  The  following  notations  shall  be  adopted  in  documents  for 
use  by  the  International  Service  to  designate  radio  stations : 
u  PG  Station  open  to  general  public  correspondence. 
"  PR  Station  open  to  limited  public  correspondence. 
"  P  Station  for  correspondence  of  private  interests. 
"  O  Station  open  exclusively  for  official  correspondence. 
"  N  Station  having  continuous  service. 
"  C  Station  carrying  on  full  service  during  the  day  from 

8  a.  m.  to  9  p.  m. 

"  L  Station  carrying  on  service  limited  to  certain  hours. 
"  The  first  four  notations  may  be  combined  with  the  last  three." 

REASONS. 

In  order  to  reduce  the  data  contained  in  the  list  it  is  proposed  to 
adopt  the  method  employed  for  the  list  of  telegraph  offices  consisting 
in  the  use  of  notations  for  designating  the  nature  and  duration  of 
the  service  carried  on  by  the  offices.  The  notations  given  above  seem 
to  be  sufficient  for  all  cases;  if  necessary,  certain  of  them  could  be 
specially  amplified  by  repetitions. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  as  follows : 

"  3.  (a)  The  word  "  radio  "  should  be  added  to  the  name  of  each 
coastal  station  published  in  the  official  list. 

"(£)  The  name  of  a  station  on  shipboard  published  in  the  first 
column  of  the  official  list  should  be  followed,  in  case  there  are  sev- 
eral vessels  of  the  same  name,  by  the  call  letters  of  this  station." 

REASONS. 

It  is  proposed  to  add  the  word  radio  to  the  name  of  the  coastal 
station  instead  of  putting  it  in  the  preamble  with  a  view  (a)  to 
making  the  omission  of  this  word  less  probable  in  the  course  of  trans- 
mission, and  (&)  to  establishing  a  difference  between  the  telegraph 
offices  and  the  coastal  stations  bearing  the  same  name. 

It  is  proposed  to  submit  to  the  conference  the  suggestion  of  desig- 
nating every  coastal  station  established  in  a  little-known  locality  by 
the  name  of  a  large  neighboring  seaport  or  city,  followed  by  the 
word  radio. 


37  RADIO  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

Sometimes  several  ships  of  the  same  nationality  bear  the  same 
name.  In  such  cases  the  present  instructions  given  for  the  purpose  of 
distinguishing  such  ships  entail  unnecessary  transmissions.  It  would 
be  better  for  the  radio  service  to  use  for  this  purpose  the  call  letters. 
(See  amendment  to  Art.  XL) 

V. 

The  exchange  of  superfluous  signals  and  words  is  pro- 
hibited to  stations  of  the  class  referred  to  in  article  1  of 
the  Convention.  Experiments  and  practice  will  be  per- 
mitted in  such  stations  in  so  far  as  they  do  not  interfere 
with  the  service  of  other  stations. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE  (1st). 

Complete  this  article  by  the  following  sentence : 
"  Practice  shall  be  carried  on  with  wave  lengths  different  from 
those  authorized  for  public  correspondence." 

REASONS. 

The  present  text  is  not  sufficiently  definite;  it  seems  necessary  to 
specify  that  the  use  of  the  wave  lengths  for  commercial  service  is 
prohibited  in  sending  messages  for  practice. 

This  measure  will  lessen  interference  produced  by  practice. 

FRANCE  (2d). 

Add  a  new  article,  as  follows : 

ARTICLE  V  a. 

"  1.  A  chart  defining  the  zone  covered  by  each  coastal  station  open 
to  general  public  correspondence  shall  be  established  in  accordance 
with  the  rule  fixed  by  Article  XXX,  paragraph  1. 

"Except  in  case  of  distress,  a  ship  shall  not  correspond  with  any 
other  coastal  station  than  the  one  in  whose  zone  it  is. 

"  2.  All  stations  are  bound  to  carry  on  traffic  with  the  minimum  of 
power  necessary  to  assure  safe  communication. 

"3.  Waves  sent  out  by  a  station  shall  be  as  pure  and  as  little 
damped  as  possible. 

"4.  Stations  used  for  determining  the  position  of  ships  (radio- 
phares) shall  not  have  a  range  greater  than  30  nautical  miles. 

"  Coastal  stations  charged  with  sending  time  signals  and  the  trans- 
mission of  meteorological  radiograms  shall  not  be  limited  as  to  the 
power  to  be  used  for  sending  the  said  signals  and  radiograms." 


38  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  object  of  this  new  article  is  to  facilitate  the  exchange  of  radio- 
grams by  avoiding  interference  between  the  different  stations. 

In  order  to  define  the  measure  proposed,  a  chart  shall  be  published 
showing  the  zone  covered  by  each  coastal  station  on  a  basis  of  the  rule 
established  in  Article  XXX,  paragraph  1.  (A  sample  chart  for 
French  coastal  stations  is  shown  with  the  French  text,  published  in 
Berne.) 

The  provision  made  by  Article  XXVIII  has  been  introduced  into 
this  article  as  being  more  appropriately  placed. 

It  seems  necessary  to  define  the  conditions  to  be  fulfilled  by  waves 
sent  out  by  the  stations. 

It  would  seem  that  the  range  of  stations  designed  for  determining 
the  position  of  ships  should  be  fixed  at  30  miles,  as  beyond  this  range 
information  furnished  by  such  stations  is  no  longer  sufficiently 
accurate. 

Finally,  in  regard  to  stations  charged  with  sending  time  signals 
and  meteorological  radiograms,  no  maximum  of  power  should  be 
imposed  in  order  to  permit  such  stations  to  be  heard  at  as  great  a 
distance  as  possible. 

VI. 

1.  No  station  on  shipboard   shall  be  established  or 
worked  by  private  enterprise  without  authority  from  the 
Government  to  which  the  vessel  is  subject.     Such  author- 
ity shall  be  in  the  nature  of  a  license  issued  by  said 
Government. 

2.  Every  station  on  shipboard  that  has  been  so  author- 
ized shall  comply  with  the  following  requirements: 

(a)  The    system    employed    shall   be    a    syntonized 
system. 

(b)  The  rate  of  transmission  and  reception,  under  nor- 
mal conditions,  shall  not  be  less  than  12  words  a  minute, 
words  to  be  counted  at  the  rate  of  5  letters  each. 

(c)  The  power  transmitted  to  the  radio  apparatus 
shall  not,  under  normal  conditions,  exceed   1  kilowatt. 
Power  exceeding  1  kilowatt  may  be  employed  when  the 
vessel  finds  it  necessary  to  correspond  while  more  than 
300  kilometers  (161.88  nautical  miles)  distant  from  the 
nearest  coastal  station,  or  when,  owing  to  obstructions, 
communication  can  be  established  only  by  means  of  an 
increase  of  power. 

3.  The  service  of  the  station  on  shipboard  shall  be  car- 
ried on  by  a  radio  operator  holding  a  certificate  issued  by 


39  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

the  Government  to  which  the  vessel  is  subject.  Such 
certificate  shall  attest  the  professional  efficiency  of  the 
operator  as  regards — 

(a)  Adjustment  of  the  apparatus. 

(b)  Transmission  and  acoustic  reception  at  the  rate  of 
not  less  than  20  words  a  minute. 

(c)  Knowledge  of  the  regulations  governing  the  ex- 
change of  radio  correspondence. 

4.  The  certificate  shall  furthermore  state  that  the  Gov- 
ernment has  Abound  the  operator  to  secrecy  with  regard 
to  the  correspondence. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY  (1st). 

Paragraph  2.  Replace  (a)  by  the  following: 

"(#)  The  logarithmic  decrement  of  the  aerial  shall  be  less  than 
0.15 ;  the  receiving  sj^stem  shall  be  a  syntonized  system." 

REASONS. 

The  term  "  syntonized  system  "  is  not  sufficiently  exact,  each  sys- 
tem being  syntonized  more  or  less.  It  would  seem  better  to  fix  the 
degree  of  syntpnization  which  is  determined  by  logarithmic  decre- 
ment. 

GERMANY  (2d). 

Paragraph  2.  Replace  the  first  sentence  of  (c)  by  the  following 
text : 

"The  power  emitted  by  the  aerial  shall  not,  under  normal  condi- 
tions, exceed  0.75  kilowatt." 

In  the  second  sentence  replace  the  words  "  one  kilowatt "  by  "  0.75 
kilowatt." 

REASONS. 

The  present  wording  admits  of  doubt  as  to  whether  the  expression 
"  one  kilowatt "  refers  to  the  power  transmitted  to  the  primary  cir- 
cuit or  to  that  transmitted  to  the  secondary  circuit  (aerial).  Only 
the  power  emitted  by  the  aerial  should  enter  into  the  consideration. 
In  order  to  avoid  as  fully  as  possible  reciprocal  interferences,  a 
power  of  0.75  kilowatt  emitted  by  the  aerial  should  be  considered 
as  sufficient. 

AUSTRIA. 

Paragraph  2  (c).  Replace  the  text  of  (c)  by  the  following: 
"  The  power  transmitted  to  the  radio  apparatus  shall  not  exceed 
the  power  necessary  to  produce  the  desired  effect." 


40  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  majority  of  stations  on  board  modern  commercial  ships  have 
a  power  of  2  kilowatts. 

FRANCE. 

Paragraph  2.  Replace  the  text  of  this  paragraph  by  the  following: 

"  2.  Every  station  on  shipboard  that  has  been  so  authorized  shall 
comply  also  with  the  following  conditions: 

"(#)  The  rate  of  transmission  and  reception,  under  normal  condi- 
tions, shall  not  be  less  than  12  words  a  minute,  words  to  be  counted 
at  the  rate  of  5  letters  each ; 

"(&)  Receiving  apparatus  shall  be  able  to  receive  with  the  greatest 
possible  assurance  against  interference  all  the  business  provided  for 
in  the  present  Regulations." 

REASONS. 

The  changes  proposed  are  entailed  by  Article  V-a.  Moreover  it 
seems  necessary  to  require  that  stations  on  shipboard  shall  be  organ- 
ized so  as  to  be  able  to  receive  with  a  maximum  assurance  against 
interference  in  order  to  avoid  as  much  as  possible  requests  for 
repetition. 

GREAT  BRITAIN  (1st). 

Paragraph  2  (a).  Replace  the  present  text  by  the  following: 
"(#)  The  system  employed  shall  be  a  system  of  electrical  selection 
so  far  as  the  transmitter  is  concerned;  that  is  to  say,  that. the  trans- 
mission of  waves,  while  producing  the  maximum  excitation  in  a 
receiver  suitably  tuned  or  adjusted  to  these  waves,  shall  be  of  a 
nature  not  to  anect  unduly  receivers  not  so  tuned  or  adjusted." 

REASONS. 

The  term  "  electrical  selection  "  seems  to  define  more  exactly  the 
meaning  of  this  provision. 

The  expression  "  syntonized  "  is  susceptible  of  being  incorrectly 
interpreted. 

GREAT   BRITAIN   (2d). 

Paragraph  2  (b).  Replace  "  twelve  words  a  minute  "  by  "  twenty 
words  a  minute." 

REASONS. 

It  being  known  that  the  radio  operator  on  shipboard  must  be 
capable  of  transmitting  and  receiving  20  words  a  minute,  it  is  only 
right  that  the  installation  on  shipboard  should  be  of  a  nature  to 
permit  the  same  rate  of  work. 

ITALY  (1st). 

Paragraph  2.  Add  at  the  end  of  (a)  : 

" with  transmission  by  a  musical  note  comprised  between  the 

tones (indicate  the  tones  which  shall  be  fixed  by  the  propo- 
sition referring  to  Article  II,  in  the  new  Xo.  3  submitted  for  con- 
sideration) ." 


41  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  same  as  those  given  for  the  propositions  submitted  for  Articles 
I,  II.  and  III. 

ITALY  (2d). 

Paragraph  2.  Cancel  (c). 

REASONS.     » 

The  proposition  to  suppress  (c),  paragraph  2  of  Article  VI  of  the 
Regulations,  has  its  reason  in  the  fact  that  limitation  to  1  kilowatt 
for  the  power  transmitted  to  the  radio  apparatus  is  not  sufficient  for 
the  practical  needs  in  working.  In  fact,  installations  on  board 
Italian  and  foreign  ships  almost  always  have  a  greater  power. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Paragraph  2.  Suppress  (c). 

REASONS. 

To  associate  the  power  with  the  distance  does  not  seem  to  conform 
to  the  technical  nature  of  the  installations. 

GERMANY   (1st). 

Paragraph  3  (a).     Cancel  the  comma  and  add  the  words: 
"  and  a  knowledge  of  their  manner  of  functioning ;  ". 

REASONS. 

It  is  necessary  that  the  examination  should  show  that  radio  oper- 
ators on  shipboard  understand  the  functioning  of  the  apparatus  in 
order  that  such  operators  shall  also  be  able  to  repair  without  delay 
any  derangements  of  the  apparatus  which  may  occur. 

GERMANY  (2d). 

Paragraph  3  (&).    Add  at  the  end: 

in  the  case  of  professional  radio  operators,  and  twelve 
words  a  minute  in  the  case  of  the  personnel  of  ships." 

REASONS. 

The  present  conditions  of  the  examinations  are  too  difficult  to  be 
fulfilled  by  the  personnel  of  ships,  especially  those  of  freight  steam- 
ers and  fishing  vessels. 

AUSTRIA. 

Paragraph  3  (&) .    Replace  the  number  "  20  "  by  the  number  "  16." 

REASONS. 

Although  radio  operators  of  warships  attain  a  rate  of  100  letters 
or  figures  a  minute,  those  of  commercial  vessels,  and  especially  the 
radio  operators  on  board  freight  ships,  very  rarely  attain  this  rate. 


35144—32 — 


42  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONTENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

BELGIUM. 

Paragraph  3.  Change  the  wording  of  the  first  sentence  of  this 
paragraph  as  follows: 

"  *  *  *,  provided  such  operator  is  not  already  in  possession  of 
a  certificate  from  another  contracting  Government.  The  certificate 
*  *  *  »  («  the  "  instead  of  "  such  "•) . 

REASONS. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  radio  operator  in  charge  of  the 
service  of  a  station  on  shipboard  under  one  of  the  contracting  coun- 
tries, and  therefore  possessing  the  regulation  certificate,  is  assigned 
to  the  service  of  a  station  on  board  a  ship  of  another  nationality. 

In  such  case  the  present  text  compels  the  Government  to  whom  the 
last-named  ship  is  subject  to  submit  the  efficiency  of  the  operator  to 
new  proof,  although  his  efficiency  has  already  been  recognized  by 
another  Government.  This  formality  would  seem  to  be  superfluous. 

DENMARK. 

Paragraph  3  (6).     New  wording: 

"The  rate  of  transmission  and  acoustic  reception  in  case  of  radio 
operators  carrying  on  the  service  of  large  ships  authorized  to  have 
more  than  fifty  passengers  on  board,  shall  not  be  less  than  twenty 
words  a  minute,  and  in  the  case  of  radio  operators  carrying  on  the 
service  of  other  stations  on  shipboard  it  shall  not  be  less  than  twelve 
words  a  minute." 

REASONS. 

The  provision  of  the  present  Regulation  that  the  radio  operator 
shall  be  able  to  transmit  and  receive  radiograms  at  a  rate  not  less 
than  20  words  a  minute  constitutes  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  employ- 
ment of  radio  telegraphy  on  board  ships  of  small  tonnage  or  on  board 
ships  designed  solely  for  carrying  merchandise.  The  correspondence 
with  such  ships  is  slight,  and  the  radio  work  must  be  performed  by  a 
member  of  the  crew. 

The  difficulty  of  receiving  and  transmitting  at  a  rate  of  20  words  a 
minute  is  too  great  for  mariners,  and  the  proposition  in  question 
compels  the  shipowners  to  hire  a  man  especially  for  the  radio  serv- 
ice, which  is  too  expensive,  or  to  give  up  the  station. 

ITALY   (1st). 

Add  to  Article  VI  the  following  paragraph: 

"  5.  Stations  on  shipboard,  when  the  ship  is  under  way,  shall  be 
manned  during  the  first  fifteen  minutes  of  each  hour,  such  hour  to 
be  referred  to  a  special  meridian,  which  shall  be  determined. 

"  This  is  for  the  purpose  of  assuring  the  reception  and  transmission 
of  radiograms  as  well  as  the  reception  of  calls  of  distress." 

REASONS. 

Article  9  of  the  Radio  Telegraph  Convention  compels  stations  to 
accept  by  absolute  priority  calls  of  distress  coming  from  ships. 


43  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

However,  it  is  necessary  to  insert  a  special  provision  to  compel 
ships  under  way  to  have  an  operator  at  the  radio  instruments  listen- 
ing in  at  fixed  intervals  of  time  in  order  to  respond  promptly  to 
such  calls. 

The  proposition  is  intended  to  assure  the  reception  of  urgent  com- 
munications by  ships,  which  does  not  seem  obligatory,  since,  for 
example,  the  English  Radio  Telegraph  Regulations,  under  article  6, 
last  sentence,  clearly  indicate  that  English  ships  are  not  compelled 
to  exchange  communications  with  other  ships  except  in  case  of  dis- 
tress; but  there  is  no  provision  for  putting  the  ships  in  a  condition 
to  receive  without  fail  the  communications  referred  to  above. 

ITALY  (2d). 
Insert  a  new  article  as  follows: 

"ARTICLE  VI— a. 

"  Stations  on  shipboard  reserved  for  general  public  service  should 
have  a  minimum  normal  range  of  300  kilometers  (101.88  nautical 
miles) .  This  range  shall  be  guaranteed  by  the  managements  in 
question  by  means  of  a  regular  supervision  in  order  to  be  certain  that 
the  power  of  the  installations  is  sufficient.  Account  shall  be  taken  of 
the  efficiency  of  the  system  adopted  for  transmission  compared  with 
a  standard  receiving  system." 

REASONS. 

The  adoption  of  Article  Vl-a  would  tend  to  assure  the  efficiency 
of  the  stations  on  shipboard  either  for  calls  in  case  of  distress  or  for 
the  transmission  of  radiograms  on  the  high  seas  sent  from  one  ship 
to  another  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  the  Continent. 

In  order  to  promote  the  efficiency  of  the  control  to  be  exercised 
over  the  installations  on  shipboard  by  the  managements  with  a  view 
to  guaranteeing  a  range  of  300  kilometers,  the  necessary  power  of  the 
different  SA^stems  of  radio  telegraphy  should  be  determined  by  ref- 
erence to  a  standard  receiving  system  (aerials,  type  of  electrolytic 
detector,  known  circuits  of  resonance,  earth  wires). 

ITALY  (3d). 
Add  a  new  article.  Vl-b,  to  read  as  follows: 

"ARTICLE  Vl-b. 

•"  Stations  of  high  power  specially  indicated  in  the  list  of  radio 
stations  shall  give  periodically,  and  at  stated  times,  the  local  time 
signal  or  that  of  the  standard  meridian  of  the  district  in  which 
the  stations  are  located  in  order  that  ships  at  sea  may  be  able  to 
regulate  their  chronometers. 

"  In  the  case  of  stations  of  high  power  located  in  the  same  district, 
the  signal  above  mentioned  shall  be  sent  at  different  times  indicated 
in  the  list  of  radio  stations." 

REASONS. 


The  reasons  for  this  proposition  are  self-evident 


44  KADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

VII. 

If  the  management  of  the  radio  service  of  a  country 
has  knowledge  of  any  infraction  of  the  Convention  or  of 
the  Eegulations  committed  in  any  of  the  stations  author- 
ized by  it,  it  shall  ascertain  the  facts  and  fix  the. respon- 
sibility. 

In  the  case  of  stations  on  shipboard,  if  the  operator  is 
responsible  for  such  infraction,  the  management  of  the 
radio  service  shall. take  the  necessary  measures;  and  if 
the  necessity  should  arise,  withdraw  the  certificate.  If 
it  is  ascertained  that  the  infraction  is  the  result  of  the 
condition  of  the  apparatus  or  of  instructions  given  the 
operator,  the  same  method  shall  be  pursued  with  regard 
to  the  license  issued  to  the  vessel. 

2.  In  cases  of  repeated  infractions  chargeable  to  the 
same  vessel,  if  the  representations  made  to  the  manage- 
ment of  the  country  to  which  the  vessel  is  subject  by  that 
of  another  country  remain  without  effect,  the  latter  shall 
be  at  liberty,  after  giving  due  notice,  to  authorize  its 
coastal  stations  not  to  accept  communications  proceeding 
from  the  vessel  at  fault.  In  case  of  disagreement  be- 
tween the  managements  of  the  radio  service  of  two 
countries,  the  question  shall  be  submitted  to  arbitration 
at  the  request  of  either  of  the  two  Governments  at  issue. 
The  procedure  in  such  case  shall  be  the  same  as  indicated 
in  article  18  of  the  Convention. 

2.  HOUES  OF  SERVICE  OF  €OASTAL  STATIONS. 

VIII. 

1.  The  service  of  coastal  stations  shall,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, be  constant,  day  and  night,  without  interruption. 

Certain  coastal  stations,  however,  may  have  a  service 
of  limited  duration.  The  management  of  the  radio  serv- 
ice of  each  country  shall  fix  the  hours  of  service. 

2.  The  coastal  stations  whose  service  is  not  constant 
shall  not  close  before  having  transmitted  all  their  radio- 


45  RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

grams  to  the  vessels  which  are  within  their  radius  of 
action,  nor  before  having  received  from  such  vessels  all 
the  radiograms  of  which  notice  has  been  given.  This 
provision  is  likewise  applicable  when  vessels  signal  their 
presence  before  the  actual  cessation  of  work. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Change  the  title  as  follows : 
"  3.  Address  of  Radiograms." 

REASONS. 

(See  below  under  Art.  IX.) 

3.  FORM  AND  POSTING  OF  RADIOGRAMS. 

IX. 

If  the  route  of  a  radiogram  is  partly  over  telegraph 
lines  or  through  radio  stations  subject  to  a  noncontracting 
Government,  such  radiogram  may  be  transmitted  pro- 
vided the  managements  of  the  radio  service  to  which  such 
lines  or  stations  are  subject  have  declared  that,  if  the 
occasion  should  arise,  they  will  comply  with  such  provi- 
sions of  the  Convention  and  of  the  Regulations  as  are 
indispensable  to  the  regular  transmission  of  radiograms 
and  that  the  payment  of  charges  is  insured. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

BULGARIA. 

Change  the  article  as  follows: 

"  The  transmission  of  a  radiogram  originating  in  a  nonadhering 
country  over  the  lines  or  through  the  radio  stations  of  adhering 
countries  shall  not  be  permitted  except  on  condition  that  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  nonadhering  country  in  which  the  radiogram  origi- 
nated has  declared  that,  if  the  occasion  should  arise,  it  will  comply 
with  such  provisions  of  the  Convention  and  of  the  ^Regulations  as 
are  indispensable  to  the  regular  transmission  of  radiograms,  and  that 
the  payment  of  charges  is  assured. 

"  This  declaration  shall  be  made  to  the  International  Bureau  and 
communicated  to  the  offices  of  the  Telegraph  Union." 


46  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  question  here  seems  to  be  rather  that  of  permitting  the  trans- 
mission of  radiograms  originating  in  a  nonadhering  country  over  the 
lines  or  through  the  radio  stations  of  adhering  countries,  similar  to 
the  stipulations  of  Article  XVII  of  the  Universal  Postal  Conven- 
tion of  Rome,  regulating  the  relations  between  the  countries  out- 
side the  Union  and  the  countries  of  the  Union,  by  intermediation  of 
a  neighboring  country  belonging  to  the  Union  with  a  country  outside 
the  Union.  In  fact  the  question  arises:  Are  the  present  stipulations 
of  Article  IX  obligatory  or  optional  in  the  case  of  a  nonadhering 
country,  and  what  would  the  position  of  an  adhering  country  be 
with  respect  to  a  nonadhering  country  which  was  not  disposed  to 
make  the  declaration  required  by  this  article  in  case  the  adhering 
country  should  need  to  have  recourse  to  the  service  of  the  non- 
adhering  country? 

The  present  stipulations  seem  to  contain  an  advantage  for  the 
nonadhering  country  in  transmitting  radiograms  in  transit  over  its 
lines  or  through  its  radio  stations,  and  at  the  same  time  such  trans- 
mission is  made  dependent  upon  the  condition  that  the  declaration 
in  question  has  been  made.  Now,  is  it  to  be  understood  that  in  the 
absence,  for  example,  of  such  a  declaration  on  the  part  of  a  non- 
adhering  country,  adhering  countries  will  be  under  the  necessity  of 
refusing  to  post  radiograms  the  transmission  of  which  would  neces- 
sitate borrowing  the-  telegraph  lines  of  a  nonadhering  country,  while 
paragraph  2  of  Article  XXXVI  of  the  Regulations  (similarly  par. 
6  of  Art.  LXII  of  the  International  Service  Regulations,  revised  at 
Lisbon)  provides  that  for  transmission  over  telegraph  lines  radio- 
grams shall  be  treated  in  accordance  with  the  International  Telegraph 
Regulations  ?. 

The  Bulgarian  management  considers  that  in  any  event  the  pres- 
ent stipulations  of  Article  IX  should  be  elucidated  in  order  to  avoid 
misinterpretation. 

EXTRACT  FROM  INTERNATIONAL  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION  AND  SERVICE 
REGULATIONS.  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

RADIOGRAMS. 

Reg.  LXII. 

1.  A  special  nomenclature  contains  the  particulars  necessary  for  radio  cor- 
respondence with  ships  at  sea.  especially  the  designations  of  stations  and  the 
radio  charges. 

2.  Radiograms  bear  in  the  preamble  the  service  instruction  "  Radio." 

3.  Radiograms  are  written  in  conformity  with  the  rules  in  chapter -4,  and 
subject  to  the  application  of  the  provisions  of  Reg.  LX.     The  use  of  groups  of 
letters  taken  from  the  International  Code  of  Signals  is  permitted. 

4.  The  charge  for  a  radiogram  comprises: 

(1)  The  charge   for  transmission   over  the   lines  of  the  telegraph   system, 
calculated  according  to  the  general  rules. 

(2)  The  charge  proper  to  the  transmission  over  sea.  viz: 
(a)  The  coast  charge. 

(&)  The  ship  charge. 

These  two  latter  rates  are  indicated  in  the  Nomenclature  of  Radio  Stations. 
The  total  charge  for  a  radiogram  is  collected  from  the  sender. 

5.  Radiograms  which,  notwithstanding  their  defective  reception,  are  consid- 
ered by  the  coast  station  fit  for  delivery,  bear  in  the  preamble  the  service 
instruction  "  Reception  doubtful,"  which  is  transmitted  to  destination. 


47  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION  OF  BERLIN. 

6.  In  respect  of  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system,  radio- 
grams are  treated,  for  accounting  purposes,  in  conformity  with  the  provisions 
of  chapter  18. 

As  regards  the  maritime  transit,  the  coast  and  ship  charges  are  included  in 
special  monthly  accounts. 

These  accounts  are  made  out  by  the  administrations  responsible  for  the  coast 
stations,  radiogram  by  radiogram,  with  all  necessary  particulars,  within  six 
months  from  the  month  to  which  they  relate. 

7.  In  respect  of  radiograms  destined  for  ships,  the  administration  which  has 
collected  the  charges  is  debited  directly  with  the  coast  and  ship  charges  by  the 
administration  responsible  for  the  coast  station. 

8.  Modifications  of  the  provisions  of  the  present  regulations  relating  to  radio- 
grams, which  may  be  rendered  necessary  in  consequence  of  decisions  of  future 
radio  telegraph  conferences,  will  be  brought  into  force  on  the  date  fixed  for 
the  application  of  the  provisions  adopted  by  each  of  these  latter  conferences. 

FRANCE. 

Transfer  Article  IX  to  section  13 — "  Miscellaneous  provisions." 

REASONS. 

The  modifications  proposed  relate  to  questions  of  form. 

It  seems  preferable  that  the  provisions  of  Article  IX  should  be 
placed  in  the  chapter  on  miscellaneous  provisions. 

In  the  same  way  rules  concerning  the  constitution  of  the  preamble, 
should  be  inserted  in  the  chapter  of  rules  referring  to  transmission, 
analogous  to  what  has  been  done  in  International  Telegraph  Regula- 
tions. 

It  results  from  the  foregoing  that  the  title  of  section  3  applies 
only  to  the  address  of  radiograms. 

X. 

1.  Kadiograms  shall  show  in  the  preamble  that  the 
service  is  radio. 

2.  In  the  transmission  of  radiograms  of  shipboard  sta- 
tions to  coastal  stations  the  date  and  hour  of  posting  may 
be  omitted  in  the  preamble. 

Upon  reforwarding  a  radiogram  over  the  telegraph 
system  the  coastal  station  shall  show  thereon  its  own 
name  as  the  office  of  origin,  followed  by  that  of  the  vessel, 
and  shall  state  as  the  hour  of  posting  the  hour  when  the 
radiogram  was  received  by  it. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Transfer  this  article  to  section  6e. 
"  Transmission  of  radiograms." 

REASONS. 

(See  above  under  Art.  IX.) 


48  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

GREAT  BBITAIN. 
(See  proposition  under  par.  2.) 

ITALY. 

Change  the  first  paragraph  as  follows: 

"  1.  Radiograms  shall  contain  as  the  first  word  of  the  preamble 
the  designation  of  the  service :  '  Radio.' '! 

REASONS. 

The  word  radio  serves  to  designate  a  special  class  of  telegrams 
similarly  to  the  words  press,  urgent,  state,  etc.,  which  are  given  the 
first  place  in  the  preamble.  There  is  no  reason  why  the  same  method 
should  not  be  followed  for  the  designations  to  be  given  to  radio- 
grams, especially  as  the  word  radio  placed  at  the  beginning  of  the 
preamble  could  scarcely  fail  to  be  transmitted. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Insert,  between  paragraphs  1  and  2  of  this  article,  paragraph  2  of 
Article  XVII.  and  change  the  number  of  the  present  paragraph 
2  to  3. 

REASONS. 

It  seems  logical  to  transfer  the  provision  in  question  to  Article  X 
of  the  division  "  Form  and  posting  of  radiograms." 

AUSTRIA. 

Paragraph  2,  second  item.  Replace  the  text  of  the  second  item  by 
the  following: 

"Upon  forwarding  a  radiogram  over  the  telegraph  system  the 
coastal  station  shall  show  thereon  its  own  name,  followed  by  that  of 
the  vessel  and  that  of  her  nationality,  as  the  office  of  origin;  the 
hour  when  the  radiogram  was  received  shall  be  given  as  the  hour  of 
posting." 

REASONS. 

The  indication  of  the  nationality  of  the  vessel  is  desirable  in  order 
to  facilitate  the  settlement  of  international  accounts. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Replace  the  present  text  of  paragraphs  1  and  2  by  the  following: 
"  1.  In  the  transmission  of  radiograms  from  a  station  on  ship- 
board to  a  coastal  station  the  hour  of  posting  may  be  omitted  in 
the  preamble;  the  date  of  posting  shall  be  indicated  only  when  it  is 
different  from  the  date  of  transmission  of  the  radiogram  to  the 
coastal  station. 

"  2.  Upon  forwarding  a  radiogram  over  the  ordinary  telegraph 
lines  the  coastal  station  shall  show  thereon  the  name  of  the  vessel 
of  origin  or,  if  necessary,  that  of  the  last  vessel  which  served  as  in- 
termediary, as  the  name  of  the  office  of  origin.  These  designations 


49  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

shall  be  followed  by  the  name  of  the  coastal  station,  to  which  shall 
be  added  the  word  radio,  for  example  "  Ushantradio."  There  shall 
likewise  be  indicated  the  date  and  hour  of  reception  of  the  radio- 
gram by  the  coastal  station,  followed,  if  necessary  (see  par.  1),  by 
the  date  of  posting  at  the  station  on  shipboard." 

REASONS. 

It  is  desirable  to  indicate  the  date  of  posting  on  shipboard  when 
it  is  different  from  the  date  of  reception  at  the  coastal  station,  as 
well  as  the  name  of  the  last  ship  which  served-  as  intermediary  in  the 
case  of  forwarding  radiograms.  The  omission  of  these  designations 
might  lead  to  misunderstanding. 

It  is  desirable  to  suppress  the  word  radio  in  the  preamble  and  to 
add  this  word  to  the  name  of  the  coastal  station,  believing  that 
there  would  be  less  probability  of  this  wrord  being  overlooked  in  the 
course  of  transmission,  and  with  a  view  to  avoiding  any  confusion 
with  a  telegraph  office  of  the  same-  name. 

The  present  practice  being  capable  of  giving  rise  to  mistakes,  the 
name  of  the  ship  or  ships  should  precede  the  name  of. the  coastal 
station  in  the  preamble. 

XL 

The  address  of  radiograms  intended  for  ships  at  sea 
shall  be  as  complete  as  possible.  It  shall  embrace  the 
following : 

(a)  The  name  of  the  addressee,  with  additional  des- 
ignations, if  any. 

(b)  The  name  of  the  vessel  as  it  appears  in  the  list, 
supplemented  by  her  nationality  and,  if  necessary,  by 
her  distinguishing  signal  of  the  International  Code,  in  case 
there  are  several  vessels  of  the  same  name. 

(c)  The  name  of  the  coastal  station  as  it  appears  in 
the  list. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GEE-MANY. 

(&)   Add  at  the  end  the  following  words: 

k>  However,  the  name  of  the  vessel  may  be  written  as  a  single  word 
and  shall  then  be  counted  for  as  many  words  as  the  number  of  its 
characters  divided  by  15." 

REASONS. 
With  a  view  to  removing  doubts  which  have  arisen  on  this  subject. 


35144—12 7 


50  RADIO    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

BELGIUM. 

Change  (6)  as  follows: 

"(&)  The  name  of  the  vessel  as  it  appears  in  the  international  list, 
supplemented  by  her  nationality,  and,  if  necessary,  by  her  distin- 
guishing signal  of  the  International  Code;  each  of  these  designa- 
tions to  be  counted  as  one  word  whatever  may  be  the  number  of 
characters  which  they  contain." 

REASONS. 

The  present  wording  permits  the  belief  that  the  designation  of  the 
nationality  of  the  vessel  is  obligatory,  while  it  should  be  mentioned 
only  when  there  are  several  vessels  of  the  same  name! 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  reasonable  to  rate  as  a  single  word  the 
name  of  a  station  on  shipboard,  as  such  station  constitutes  the  ad- 
dress of  the  radiogram  in  the  same  way  as  a  coastal  station,  although 
Article  X  of  the  Convention  provides  that  the  latter  should  be  con- 
sidered as  the  address. 

FRANCE. 

Replace  the  text  of  this  article  by  the  following : 

"  The  address  of  radiograms  intended  for  ships  at  sea  should  be  as 
complete  as  possible.  It  shall  embrace  the  following : 

"(a)  The  name  of  the  addressee,  with  additional  designations,  if 
any; 

"(&)  The  name  of  the  vessel  as  it  appears  in  the  list.  In  case 
there  are  several  vessels  of  the  same  name,  this  name  shall  be  sup- 
plemented either  by  the  nationality  of  the  vessel  or  by  her  distin- 
guishing signal  of  the  International  Code  of  Signals; 

"(<?)  The  name  of  the  coastal  station  as  it  appears  in  the  list. 

"  However,  the  name  of  the  vessel  may  be  replaced,  at  the  sender's 
risk;  by  the  designation  of  the  route  to  be  followed  by  such  vessel  as 
determined  by  the  name  of  the  ports  of  departure  and  destination 
or  by  any  equivalent  information." 

REASONS. 

The  changes  proposed  for  (b)  are  intended  to  make  the  present 
text  more  exact,  which  now  seems  to  require  the  designation  of  the 
nationality  in  all  cases. 

By  adding  the  last  paragraph  additional  facility  is  afforded  to  the 
sender  in  case,  as  often  happens,  he  does  not  know  the  name  of  the 
vessel  on  which  the  addressee  is  to  be  found. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

(1)}  read: 

"(&)  Name  of  the  vessel  as  it  appears  in  the  first  column  of  the 
official  list." 

(<?)   Cancel  the  period  and  add  "official." 

REASONS. 
(See  Art.  VI.) 


51  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

NETHERLANDS. 

(&)  Read  as  follows: 

"(&)  The  name  of  the  vessel  as  it  appears  in  the  list,  supplemented 
by  her  nationality  and,  if  necessary,  by  her  distinguishing  signal  of 
the  International  Code  in  case  there  are  several  vessels  of  the  same 
name." 

REASONS. 

The  present  wording  does  not  show  distinctly  that  the  mention  of 
the  nationality  is  obligatory  only  in  case  there  are  several  vessels  of 
the  same  name. 

The  new  wording  agrees  writh  that  occurring  on  page  231  of  the 
Berlin  document. 

ITALY. 

Introduce  a  new  article,  Xl-a,  to  read  as  follows: 

"ARTICLE  XI— A. 

"  The  public  may  request  that  coastal  stations  not  having  constant 
service  prolong  the  duration  of  their  service  during  the  night  in  order 
to  transmit  radiograms  to  stations  on  shipboard  or  to  receive  such 
radiograms  from  them.  The  additional  rates  for  such  service  shall 
be  charged  to  the  sender  and  collected  at  the  same  time  as  the  rates 
for  ordinary  telegrams  and  radiograms. 

".Each  management  shall  make  known  the  amount  of  such  addi- 
tional rates.  The  information  relating  thereto  shall  be  given  in  the 
official  list  of  radio  stations. 

"The  charges  above  mentioned  shall  be  credited  to  the  manage- 
ment to  which  the  coastal  station  prolonging  its  service  is  subject  in 
the  special  accounts  for  radiograms. 

"  The  request  for  night  service  shall  be  made  in  the  radiograms  by 
the  proper  designation  (x  nights)  placed  immediately  in  front  of  the 
address.  The  letter  x  indicates  the  number  of  nights  during  which 
the  coastal  station  shall  prolong  its  service  after  the  arrival  of  the 
radiogram." 

REASONS. 

The  reasons  for  the  proposition  are  self-evident. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

New  article  to  be  inserted  before  Article  XII : 

"ARTICLE  XI-A. 

"In  the  address  the  name  of  the  vessel  as  it  appears  in  the  first 
column  of  the  official  list  shall  in  every  case  and  independently  of  its 
length  be  counted  as  one  word." 

REASONS. 

It  seems  that  the  time  has  come  for  the  names  of  vessels  to  be 
treated  in  the  same  manner  as  those  of  telegraph  offices  of  destina- 
tion. (Art,  XIX  of  the  Telegraph  Service  Regulations.) 


52  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

ARTICLE   XIX    OF   THE   INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

XIX. 

1.  The  following  are  Counted  as  one  word  in  all  languages : 
1st.  .In  the  address — 

a.  The  name  of  the  telegraph  office  of  destination  written  as  it  appears  in 
the  first  column  of  the  official  nomenclature  of  offices  and  completed  by  any 
indications  which  appear  in  that  column; 

b.  The  names  of  territorial  subdivisions  or  countries,  respectively,  if  written 
in  conformity  with  the  said  nomenclature  or  their  alternative  names  given  in 
the  preface ; 

2d.  In  tetegraph  money  orders,  the  name  of  the  postal  issuing  office,  the  name 
of  the  postal  paying  office,  and  that  of  the  locality  where  the  payee  resides; 

3d.  Every  code  word  fulfilling  the  conditions  laid  down  in  Regulation  VIII; 

4th.  Every  isolated  character,  letter,  or  figure,  as  wTell  as  every  sign  of 
punctuation,  apostrophe,  or  hvphen,  *  transmitted  at  the  request  of  the  sender 
(Reg.  XVIII)  ; 

5th.  Underline; 

6th.  Parentheses  (the  two  signs  which  serve  to  form  them)  ; 

7th.  Inverted  commas  (the  two  signs  placed  at  the  commencement  and  end 
of  one  and  the  same  passage)  ; 

8th.  Supplementary  instruction  written  in  the  abridged  form  admitted  by 
Regulation  X. 

2.  When  the  different  parts  of  each  of  the  expressions  charged  for  as  one 
word  and  indicating — 

1st.  The  office  of  destination ; 
2d.  The  territorial  subdivision; 
3d.  The  country  of  destination; 

4th.  The  names  indicated  above  appearing  in  telegraph  money  orders,  are  not 
written  as  one  word,  the  counter  clerk  joins  them  up. 

3.  In  telegrams  in  which  the  text  is  written  entirely  in  plain  language  each 
ordinary  word  and  each  authorized  compound  are  counted,  respectively,  at  the 
rate  of  one  word  for  each  fifteen  characters,  according  to  the  Morse  alphabet, 
plus  one  word  for  the  excess,  if  any. 

4.  In  code  language  the  maximum  length  of  a  word  is  fixed  at  ten  characters, 
counted  according  to  the  prescriptions  of  Regulation  VIII,  paragraph  3. 

Words  in  plain  language  inserted  in  the  text  of  a  mixed  telegram — i.  e., 
composed  of  words  in  plain  language  and  of  words  in  code  language — are 
counted  each  at  the  rate  of  one  word  for  each  indivisible  series  of  ten  characters 
which  they  contain.  If  the  mixed  telegram  contains,  in  addition,  passages  in 
cipher  language,  the  passages  in  cipher  are  counted  according  to  the  prescrip- 
tions of  paragraph  7  hereafter. 

If  the  mixed  telegram  is  only  composed  of  passages  in  plain  language  and  of 
passages  in  cipher  language,  the  passages  in  plain  language  are  counted  accord- 
ing to  the  prescriptions  of  paragraph  3  of  the  present  regulation,  and  the 
passages  in  cipher  language  according  to  the  prescriptions  of  paragraph  7  here- 
after. 

5.  The  address  of  telegrams  the  text  of  which  is  wholly  or  partially  written 
in  code  language  is  charged  for  according  to  the  prescriptions  of  paragraphs 
1  and  3  of  the  present  regulations.     The  signature  is  charged  for  according  to 
the  same  prescriptions,  those  of  paragraph  1  (1st)  excepted. 

6.  Words  separated  by  an  apostrophe  or  joined  by  a  hyphen  are  counted  as 
separate  words. 

7.  Groups  of  figures  or  of  letters,  commercial  marks  composed  of  figures  and 
letters,  are  counted  at  the  rate  of  one  word  for  each  five  figures  or  letters 
which  they  may  contain,  plus  one  word  for  any  excess.     Each  of  the  combina- 
tions ae,  aa,  ao,  oe,  ue,  and  ch  is  counted  as  two  letters. 

Full  stops,  commas,  colons,  dashes,  and  bars  indicating  fractions  are  each 
counted  as  a  figure  or  a  letter  in  the  group  in  which  they  occur.  This  also 
applies  to  each  letter  added  to  groups  of  figures  to  form  ordinal  numbers,  as 
well  as  to  letters  or  figures  added  to  the  number  of  a  house  in  an  address, 
even  in  the  case  of  an  address  in  the  text  or  in  the  signature  of  a  telegram. 

8.  Combinations  or  alterations  of  words  contrary  to  the  usage  of  the  language 
are  not  admitted ;  the  same  applies  to  combinations  or  alterations  dissimulated 
by  means  of  reversal  of  the  order  of  letters  or  syllables.     Nevertheless,  the 


53  RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF    BERLIN. 

names  of  towns  and  countries;  surnames  belonging  to  one  person;  names  of 
places,  squares,  boulevards,  streets,  and  other  kinds  of  public  thoroughfares; 
names  of  ships,  whole  numbers,  fractions,  decimal  or  fractional  numbers  written 
entirely  in  words,  and  compound  words  admitted  as  such  in  the  English  and 
French  languages,  and  which  can,  when  required,  be  justified  by  the  production 
of  a  dictionary,  may  be  respectively  grouped  as  one  word  each  without  apos- 
trophe or  hyphen. 

9.  The  counting  of  the  office  of  origin  is  decisive,  both  for  purposes  of  trans- 
mission and  of  the  international  accounts.     Nevertheless,  when  the  telegram 
contains  combinations  or  alterations  of  words  of  one  of  the  languages  of  the 
country  of  destination,  or  of  a  language  other  than  those  of  the  country  of 
origin,  contrary  to  the  usage  of  such  language,  the  office  of  destination  has  the 
right  to  recover  from  the  addressee  the  amount  of  charge  not  collected.     If 
this  right  is  exercised,  the  telegram  is  only  delivered  to  the  addressee  on  pay- 
ment of  the  short  charge.     In  case  of  refusal  to  pay,  a  service  advice  thus 
worded  is  addressed  to  the  office  of  origin :  "  Vienna  from  Paris  5.10  p.  m.  = 
No.    *    *    *     (name  of  addressee)     *    *    *     (reproduce  the  words  wrongly  com- 
biner or  altered)     *     *     *     words  (indicate  number  of  words  properly  charge- 
able)."    If  the  sender,  duly  notified  of  the  reason  for  nondelivery,  agrees  to 
pay  the   excess,   a   service  advice  thus   worded  is   addressed  to   the   delivery 
office:  "Paris  from  Vienna  7  p.  m.  =  No.     *     *     *     (name  of  addressee)  short 
charge  collected."    On  receipt  of  this  service  advice  the  office  of  destination  de- 
livers the  telegram. 

10.  When  the  administration  of  origin  discovers  after  the  charge  has  been 
collected  that  a  telegram  contains  either  inadmissible  combinations  or  altera- 
tions of  words,  or  expressions 'of  words,  which,  although  not  fulfilling  the  con- 
ditions of  plain  or  code  language,  have  been  charged  for  as  belonging  to  these 
languages,  it  applies  to  these  expressions  of  words,  for  the  calculation  of  the 
short  charge  to  be  recovered  from  the  sender,  the  rules  to  which  they  should 
have  been  respectively  subjected.    The  combinations  or  alterations  are  counted 
in  accordance  with  the  number  of  words  which  they  would  contain  if  they  were 
written  in  the  usual  manner. 

The  administration  of  origin  acts  in  the  same  way  when  irregularities  are 
pointed  out  to  it  by  a  transit  administration  or  by  the  administration  of  desti- 
nation. Nevertheless,  neither  of  these  two  latter  administrations  may  delay 
the  forwarding  or  delivery  of  the  telegram,  except  in  the  cases  provided  for  in 
paragraph  9. 

4.  RATES. 
XII. 

The  coastal  rate  shall  not  exceed  60  centimes  (11.6 
cents)  a  word,  and  the  shipboard  rate  shall  not  exceed 
40  centimes  (7.7  cents)  a  word. 

A  minimum  rate  per  radiogram,  not  to  exceed  the 
coastal  rate  or  shipboard  rate  for  a  radiogram  of  10 
words,  may 'be  imposed  as  coastal  or  shipboard  rate. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

SOUTH  AFRICA   (UNION   OF). 

Add  the  following: 

"  When  two  coastal  stations  subject  to  the  same  management  par- 
ticipate in  the  transmission  of  a  radiogram,  one  coastal  rate  only 
shall  be  collected.  One  coastal  rate  only  shall  likewise  be  collected 
when  a  coastal  station  serves  as  intermediary  for  the  transmission 
of  a  radiogram  between  two  stations  on  shipboard." 


54  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS.    . 

Coastal  stations  open  to  the  service  of  public  correspondence  and 
subject  to  one  contracting  management,  with  the  exception  of  long- 
range  stations,'  should  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the  same  radio 
system,  and  in  the  matter  of  accounts  only  one  coastal  rate  should, 
in  principal,  be  collected  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  terminal  rate 
for  the  transmission  over  the  telegraph  lines  of  the  country. 

The  collection  of  double  rates  is  of  a  nature  to  make  the  rates  pro- 
hibitive to  some  extent,  while  all  the  facilities  that  radio  telegraphy 
can  offer  should  be  accorded  to  the  public. 

V 

GERMANY. 

Add  the  following: 

"  In  the  case  of  radiograms  received  by  coastal  station  or  station 
on  shipboard  by  means  of  radio  telegraphy  and  forwarded  in  the 
same  manner,  the  coastal  or  shipboard  rate  shall  not  be  collected 
more  than  once." 

REASONS. 

It  seems  right,  with  a  view  to  facilitating  the  service,  not  to  com- 
pute a  double  coastal  or  shipboard  rate. 

SPAIN. 

Replace  the  present  text  by  the  following : 

"  The'  coastal  rate  shall  not  exceed  60  centimes  a  word,  and  the 
shipboard  rate  shall  not  exceed  40  centimes  per  word. 

"When  the  range  of  stations  exceeds  800  kilometers' (431.68  nau- 
tical miles),  or  when  their  work  is  exceptionally  difficult  owing  to 
the  nature  of  their  establishment  or  manner  of  working,  the  High 
Contracting  Parties  shall  be  at  liberty  to  authorize  higher  rates. 

"The  minimum     *     *     *." 

REASONS. 

The  object  is  to  make  the  Regulations  agree  with  the  Convention 
of  Berlin,  article  10,  which  reads: 

"  However,  each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  shall  be  at  lib- 
erty to  authorize  higher  rates  than  such  maximum  in  case  of  stations 
of  ranges  exceeding  800  kilometers  or  of  stations  whose  work  is  ex- 
ceptionally difficult  owing  to  physical  conditions  in  connection  with 
the  installation  or  working  of  the  same." 

FRANCE. 

Replace  the  present  text  of  Article  XII  with  the  following : 
"  1.  The  rates  of  all  coastal  stations  shall  be  fixed  at — 
"  1.  0.20   franc    (3.86   cents)    a   word   for  radio   communications 
within  a  zone  not  exceeding  4CK)  kilometers  (215.84  nautical  miles). 

"  2.  0.40  franc  (7.7  cents)  a  word  for  radio  communications  be- 
yond such  zone  but  not  exceeding  2,000  kilometers  (1,079.3  nautical 
miles). 

"3.  0.60  franc  (11.6  cents)  a  word  for  radio  correspondence  car- 
ried on  over  a  zone  of  more  than  2,000  kilometers  (1,079.3  nautical 
miles) . 


55  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

;'  The  rates  of  all  stations  on  shipboard  shall  be  fixed  at— 

"  1.  0.20  franc  a  word  for  radio  communications  not  exceeding 
400  kilometers. 

"  2.  0.40  franc  a  word  for  all  other  communications. 

"  A  minimum  rate  per  radiogram  not  to  exceed  the  coastal  or  ship- 
board rate  for  a  radiogram  of  10  words  may  be  imposed  as  coastal 
or  shipboard  rate. 

"  2.  In  case  of  distances  greater  than  400  kilometers,  every  station 
on  shipboard  shall  be  bound  to  assure  transmission  of  radiograms 
upon  request  by  the  coastal  station  or  the  station  of  origin  on  ship- 
board. 

"A  rate  of  0.20  franc  a  word  shall  be  paid  to  the  station  on  ship- 
board participating  in  the  forwarding  of  the  radiogram.  When,  in 
rare  cases,  several  stations  on  shipboard  shall  act  as  intermediaries 
for  the  transmission  of  a  radiogram,  such  rate  of  transit  shall  be  paid 
to  the  first  station  on  shipboard  acting  as  intermediary. 

"  In  the  case  of  radiograms  intended  for  ships,  the"  rate  of  transit 
of  0.20  franc  shall  be  charged  against  the  coastal  stajtion;  in  the 
case  of  radiograms  originating  in  ships  this  rate  of  transit  shall  be 
collected  over  and  above  the  rate  of  the  station  on  shipboard." 

REASONS. 
t 

Certain  countries  have  already  established  a  different  rate  for  each 
station.  It  seems  evident  that  a  single  coastal  or  shipboard  rate 
does  not  present  sufficient  elasticity  for  all  the  requirements.  Reduced 
rates  are  imposed  in  case  of  vessels  making  short  voyages.  On  the 
other  hand,  improvement  in  the  methods  of  transmission  having 
necessitated  more  powerful,  and  therefore  more  costly  stations,  it  is 
only  reasonable  to  grant  such  stations  a  remuneration  conformable 
to  their  services.  Under  such  conditions  it  is  logical  that  the  rates 
should  be  proportional  to  the  distances,  as  is  the  general  rule  in  ordi- 
nary telegraphy. 

However,  in  order  to  avoid  too  great  complications,  the  French 
management  proposes  three  rates  for  coastal  stations:  (1)  0.20  franc 
(3.86  cents)  applicable  to  communications  not  exceeding  400  kilo- 
meters (215.84  nautical  miles)  ;  (2)  0.40  franc  (7.7  cents)  for  com- 
munications comprised  between  400  kilometers  and  2,000  kilometers 
(1,079.3  nautical  miles);  and  (3)  0.60  franc  (11.6  cents)  for  com- 
munications exceeding  2,000  kilometers. 

In  the  case  of  stations  on  shipboard,  twro  rates  should  be  authorized : 
(1)  0.20  franc  for  communications  at  less  than  400  kilometers  and  (2) 
0.40  franc  for  communications  exceeding  400  kilometers. 

Furthermore,  forwarding  beyond  400  kilometers  should  be  obliga- 
tory upon  request  from  the  sending  office,  but  the  first  intermediate 
station  on  shipboard  which  shall  have  participated  in  forwarding 
the  radiogram  should  receive  a  rate  of  transit  of  0.20  franc,  which 
should  be  paid  to  it  by  the  coastal  station  in  the  case  of  radiograms 
intended  for  ships,  and  by  the  station  on  shipboard  in  the  case  of 
radiograms  originating  in  ships.  This  manner  of  procedure  would 
seem  to  entail  the  minimum  of  complications  in  the  payment  of  rates" 
and  the  settlement  of  accounts. 

It  should  be  understood  that  each  country  will  be  at  liberty  to  fix, 
as  it  thinks  proper,  maritime  rates  for  radiograms  originating  in 


56  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

or  destined  for  its  territory  and  exchanged  between  a  station  of  its 
territory  and— 

1.  Vessels  belonging  to. its  navy. 

2.  Vessels  carrying  on  a  regular  passenger  service  sailing  from  a 
port  of  its  territory. 

ITALY. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  as  follows : 

"  In  the  case  of  radiograms  intended  for  yachts,  the  shipboard 
rate  shall  not  be  considered." 

REASONS.    • 

Yachts  which  exchange  radiograms  with  coastal  stations  are  quite 
numerous.  It  may  be  that  Article  IV  of  the  Service  Regulations  is 
not  intended  to  include  under  the  designation  correspondence  of 
private  interest  correspondence  with  pleasure  vessels.  In  this  case 
it  seerns  necessary  to  add  to  Article  XII  the  paragraph  given  above, 
which  does  not  contain  any  change  relating  to  the  provisions  of  the 
Regulations. 

The  payment  of  the  ordinary  and  radio  charges  relating  to  radio- 
grams originating  on  yachts  should  present  no  difficulties.  In  fact, 
governments  to  whom  such  vessels  are  subject  might  require  the 
deposit  of  a  sum  sufficient  to  cover  the  amount  of  such  charges. 


XIII. 

The  country  within  whose  territory  a  coastal  station 
is  established  which  serves  as  intermediary  for  the  ex- 
change of  radiograms  between  a  station  on  board  ship 
and  another  country  shall  be  considered,  so  far  as  the 
application  of  telegraph  rates  is  concerned,  as  the  country 
of  origin  or  of  destination  of  such  telegrams  and  not  as 
the  country  of  transit. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

BELGIUM. 

Complete  this  article  by  the  following  paragraph : 
"  The  coastal  station,  however,  shall  be  considered  as  the  country 
of  transit  when  it  serves  as  intermediary  for  the  exchange  of  radio- 
grams between  two  stations  on  shipboard.    In  such  case  the  coastal 
rate  shall  be  applied  both  for  reception  and  retransmission." 

REASONS. 

This  article  does  not  determine  the  rate  .to  be  applied  when  a  coastal 
station  serves  as  intermediary  between  two  stations  on  shipboard. 


57  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

There  is  double  radio  work  without  use  being  made  of  the  ordinary 
telegraph  lines.  It  seems  that  the  collection  of  a  double  coastal  rate 
is  justifiable, 

FRANCE. 

Replace  the  present  text  of  Article  XIII  with  the  following : 

"1.  The  country  within  whose  territory  a  coastal  station  is  estab- 
lished which  serves  as  intermediary  for  the  exchange  of  radiograms 
between  a  station  on  shipboard  and  another  country  or  another  sta- 
tion on  shipboard  shall  be  considered,  so  far  as  the  application  of 
telegraph  rates  is  concerned,  as  the  country  of  origin  or  of  destina- 
tion of  such  telegrams  and  not  as  the  country  of  transit. 

"  In  the  case  of  radiograms  originating  in  ships  at  sea,  the  rate 
for  transmission  over  telegraph  lines  shall  be  computed  in  accordance 
with  the  tariff  in  use  in  the  country  in  which  the  coastal  station 
receiving  the  radiogram  is  situated. 

"  2.  In  the  case  of  radiograms  originating  in  ships  at  sea  intended 
for  other  vessels  at  sea  and  forwarded  through  the  intermediation  of 
one  or  two  coastal  stations  the  rate  shall  comprise : 

"(1)   The  shipboard  rates  of  the  two  ships; 

"(2)  The  coastal  rate  applicable  to  communications  with  the  ves- 
sel of  origin  and  the  coastal  rate  applicable  to  communications  with 
the  vessel  of  destination. 

"(3)  The  telegraph  rate  applicable  to  transmission  between  two 
coastal  stations.  This  rate  shall  be  collected  even  if  the  radiogram 
was  forwarded  by  the  coastal  station  which  received  it.'? 

REASONS. 

The  changes  proposed  are  intended  to  regulate  the  exchange  of 
radiograms  between  stations  on  shipboard  by  means  of  one  or  two 
coastal  stations.  Such  cases  frequently  arise,  and  the  regulations  are 
not  sufficiently  exact  in  this  respect. 

The  rate  to  be  collected  for  this  class  of  correspondence  should  com- 
prise the  shipboard  rates  of  the  two  stations  on  shipboard,  the  coastal 
rates  of  the  coastal  stations,  and  the  telegraph  rate  for  transmission 
between  these  two  stations.  In  case  the  transmission  shall  have  been 
made  by  the  intermediation  of  the  same  coastal  station  or  of  two 
coastal  stations  of  the  same  country,  it  seems  right  to  collect  the 
interior  rate  of  the  country  in  which  such  coastal  station  or  stations 
is  located. 

The  second  division  of  paragraph  1  defines  the  rule  to  be  followed 
for  the  collection  of  the  telegraph  rate  for  -transmission  over  the  tele- 
graph system.  When  the  radiogram  originated  in  the  country  in 
which  the  coastal  station  is  situated,  it  is  logical  to  apply  the  tariff 
in  use  in  such  country  and  not  the  rates  provided  by  the  International 
Telegraph  Regulations  and  the  appendix  thereto. 

This  measure  would  imply  particularly  the  application  of  the  mini- 
mum conventionary  rates  and  the  general  rates  prevailing  in  such 
country. 


85144—12- 


58  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

5.  COLLECTION  OF  CHAEGES. 
XIV. 

The  total  charge  for  radiograms  shall  be  collected  of 
the  sender. 

Stations  on  shipboard  shall  to  that  end  have  the  neces- 
sary tariffs.  They  shall  be  at  liberty,  however,  to  obtain 
information  from  coastal  stations  on  the  subject  of  rates 
for  radiograms  for  which  they  do  not  possess  all  the 
necessary  data. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  as  follows: 

"  If  for  any  reason  the  coastal  or  the  shipboard  rate  for  a  radio- 
gram can  not  be  determined  at  the  time  of  sending,  such  radiogram 
may  be  accepted  at  the  risk  of  the  sender  and  the  coastal  and  ship- 
board rates  shall  then  be  collected  of  the  addressee.  Such  radiograms 
shall  show  in  their  preamble  the  indication  not  paid  "  PCV  coastal 
and  shipboard  rates." 

REASONS. 

It. would  be  to  the  interest  of  senders  that  radiograms  of  this  kind 
be  admitted.  However,  in  order  to  avoid  complications,  there  should 
be  collected  as  a  rule  at  the  time  of  sending,  in  such  cases,  only  the 
rate  for  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system. 

FRANCE. 

Add  the  following  paragraph  to  Article  XIV: 

"At  the  time  of  posting  a  radiogram  the  sender  should  indicate  the 
maritime  rates  to.be  applied.  In  case  such  information  can  not  be 
furnished  the  rates  of  0.40  francs  (7.7  cents)  for  the  coastal  stations 
and  of  0.40  francs  for  the  shipboard  station  shall  generally  be 
applied." 

REASONS. 

As  the  tariff  schedule  provided  under  Article  XII  includes  several 
rates  for  a  coastal  station  and  a  station  on  shipboard,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  sender  should  be  given  the  privilege  of  choosing  which  one 
of  the  maritime  rates  he  desires  to  have  applied.  However,  in  case 
the  sender  can  not  furnish  any  information  on  this  subject,  the  rates 
for  transmission  of  the  radiogram  within  a  zone  comprised  between 
400  and  2.000  kilometers  (215.84-1,079.3  nautical  miles)  should  be 
applied. 


59  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION  OP  BERLIN. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Change  the  first  paragraph  as  follows: 

"  The  total  rate  for  radiograms  sliall  be  collected  of  the  sender  with 
the  exception,  however,  of  (1)  Express  charges  (Art.  LVIII,  par.  1, 
of  the  Telegraph  Regulations)  ;  (2)  the  rates  covering  changes  in 
the  arrangement  and  meaning  of  words  which  were  not  admissible, 
as  ascertained  by  the  office  or  station  of  destination  (Art.  XIX,  par. 
9,  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations),  such  rates  being  collected  of  the 
addressee." 

REASONS. 

In  view  of  the  proposition  to  admit  radiograms  to  be  forwarded 
by  express  (Art.  LVIII  of  the  Radio  Telegraph  Regulations)  and 
of  the  new  article  proposed  above  for  the  purpose  of  authorizing  the 
collection  of  the  remaining  charges  of  the  addressee. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  INTERNATIONAL  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION  AND   SERV- 
ICE  REGULATIONS,   MENTIONED   ABOVE. 

XIX. 

9.  The  counting  of  tlie  olfice  of  origin  is  decisive,  both  for  purposes  of  trans- 
mission and  of  the  international  accounts.  Nevertheless,  when  the  telegram 
contains  combinations  or  alterations  of  words  of  one  of  the  languages  of  the 
country  of  destination,  or  of  a  language  other  than  those  of  the  country  of  origin, 
contrary  to  the  usage  of  such  language,  the  office  of  destination  has  the  right 
to  recover  from  the  addressee  the  amount  of  charge  not  collected.  If  this  right 
is  exercised  the  telegram  is  only  delivered  to  the  addressee  on  payment  of  the 
short  charge.  In  case  of  refusal  to  pay,  a  service  advice  thus  worded  is  ad- 
dressed to  the  office  of  origin  :  "  Vienna  Paris  5.10  p.  m.  =  No.  *  *  *  (name 
of  addressee)  *  *  *  (reproduce  the  words  wrongly  combined  or  altered) 
*  *  *  words  (indicate  number  of  words  properly  chargeable)."  If  the  sender, 
duly  notified  of  the  reason  for  nondelivery,  agrees  to  pay  the  excess,  a  service 
advice  thus  worded  is  addressed  to  the  delivery  office:  "  Paris  Vienna  7  p.  m. 
—  No.  *  *  *  (name  of  addressee)  short  charge  collected."  On  receipt  of 
this  service  advice  the  office  of  destination  delivers  the  telegram. 

LVIII. 

1.  The  cost  of  conveyance  beyond  the  radius  of  the  telegraph  offices  by  quicker 
means  than  the  post  in  States  where  such  a  service  is  organized  is  collected,  as 
a  general  rule,  from  the  addressee. 

When  a  telegram  bearing  the  instructions  "  Express,"  which  has  given  rise  to 
a  special  service,  is  not  delivered,  the  office  of  destination  adds  to  the  notice  of 
nondelivery,  provided  for  in  Regulation  XLVII,  paragraph  3,  the  instruction 
"  PCV  *  *  *  "  (amount  due  for  special  service). 

TRANSLATOR'S  NOTE. — The  term  "  Express,"  used  in  Regulations  X,  LVII,  and 
LVIII,  denotes  the  delivery  of  a  telegram  by  special  messenger  (See  Regulation 
LIX  also)  beyond  the  ordinary  area  of  delivery  of  a  telegraph  office  and  always 
implies  that  a  charge  for  porterage  is  payable. 

GBEAT   BRITAIN. 

New  article  to  be  inserted  after  Article  XIV : 

"  The  counting  of  the  words  by  the  office  of  origin  shall  be  con- 
clusive in  the  case  of  radiograms  destined  for  ships,  and  that  of  the 
station  on  shipboard  in  the  case  of  radiograms  originating  in  ships, 
both  for  transmission  and  for  the  international  accounts.  However, 


60  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

in  case  the  radiogram  has  been  entirely  or  partially  ref  ramed,  either 
in  one  of  the  languages  of  the  country  of  destination  in  the  case  of 
radiograms  originating  in  ships,  or  in  one  of  the  languages  of  the 
country  under  whose  flag  the  ship  is  sailing  in  the  case  of  radiograms 
intended  for  ships,  and  if  the  radiogram  contains  combinations  of 
words  or  words  whose  meaning  is  contrary  to  the  usages  of  such 
language,  the  office  or  shipboard  station  of  destination,  as  the  case 
may  be,  has  the  right  to  recover  from  the  addressee  such  charges  as 
have  not  been  collected.  In  case  of  refusal  to  pay,  the  radiogram 
may  be  withheld." 

REASONS. 

The  object  of  this  proposition  is  to  decide  the  question  as  to  what 
extent  the  provisions  of  Article  XIX,  paragraph  9  (see  p.  59),  of 
the  Telegraph  Regulations  are  applicable  to  radiograms  under  the 
terms  of  Article  XLII  of  the  Radio  Telegraph  Regulations. 

6.  TRANSMISSION  or  EADIOGRAMS. 

a.    SIGNALS  OF  TRANSMISSION. 

XV. 

The  signals  to  be  employed  are  those  of  the  Interna- 
tional Morse  Code. 

XVI. 

Ships  in  distress  shall  use  the  following  signal: 


repeated  at  brief  intervals. 

As  soon  as  a  station  perceives  the  signal  of  distress  it 
shall  cease  all  correspondence  and  not  resume  it  until 
after  it  has  made  sure  that  the  correspondence  to  which 
the  call  for  assistance  has  given  rise  is  terminated. 

In  case  the  ship  in  distress  adds  at  the  end  of  the  series 
of  her  calls  the  call  letters  of  a  particular  station  the 
answer  to  the  call  shall  be  incumbent  upon  that  station 
alone.  If  the  call  for  assistance  does  not  specify  anv 
^articular  station,  every  station  perceiving  such  call  shall 
be  bound  to  answer  it. 


61  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN.    ' 

DISPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Kepi  ace  the  beginning  of  Article  XVI  bv  the  following : 
"  1.  Ships  in  distress  shall  use  the  following  signal : 

repeated  at  brief  intervals. 

"  The  signal • repeated  at  brief 

intervals  shall  be  employed  by  a  ship  possessing  a  radio  installation 
for  the  purpose  of  signaling  a  ship  in  distress  which  has  no  such 
installation  or  which  has  become  unable  to  use  the  same. 

"  2.  The  condition  and  location  of  the  ship  in  distress  shall  be 
indicated  by  means  of  the  conventional  signals  provided  under 
Article  XVII. 

i;  3.  As  soon  as  a  station  perceives  the  signal  of  distress  it  shall 
cease  *  *  •  *,  etc." 

(The  remainder  to  be  unchanged.) 

REASONS. 

It  is  necessary  to  provide  for  the  case  of  a  signal  of  distress  in 
transit  which  may  be  used  to  signal  disasters  to  ships  not  having 
radio  apparatus  on  board  or  such  as  have  become  unable  to  use  their 
transmitting  apparatus. 

Furthermore,  it  seems  necessary  to  specify  that  indications  con- 
cerning a  case  of  distress  should  be  given  by  means  of  conventional 
signals  in  order  that  they  may  be  understood  by  all  stations. 

JAPAN. 

Add  at  the  end  of  the  article  a  new  paragraph,  as  follows : 
• "  Correspondence  occasioned  by  calls  for  assistance  from  ships  in 
distress  and  by  the  answer  to  such  calls  shall  be  transmitted  free  of 
charge." 

REASONS. 

No  special  provision  having  been  made  for  correspondence  relating 
to  the  succor  of  vessels  in  distress,  it  would  seem  reasonable  to 
understand  that  such  correspondence  should  be  rated  according  to 
the  general  rule.  But  in  view  of  the  special  nature  of  such  corre- 
spondence, and  of  the  difficulty  of  making  an  exact  count  of  the  words 
in  such  cases,  and  in  view  of  the  provisions  of  Article  IX  of  the 
Convention,  it  would  seem  proper  to  stipulate  in  the  Regulations 
that  such  correspondence  shall  be  free  of  charge. 

NETHERLANDS. 

First  and  third  paragraphs  to  read  as  follows: 

"  1.  The  call  of  distress  shall  be  made  only  by  means  of  the  fol- 
lowing signal '-  -  repeated  at  brief  intervals 

followed  by  the  necessary  indications. 

"3.  In  case  the  call  letters  of  a  particular  coastal  station  are  added 
at  the  end  of  the  series  of  calls  for  assistance  the  answer  to  the  call 


62  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

shall  be  incumbent  upon  that  station  alone,  unless  such  station  does 
not  answer  at  all.  If  the  call  for  assistance  does  not  specify  any  par- 
ticular station,  every  station  perceiving  such  call  shall  be  bound  to 
answer  it." 

REASONS. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  Article  I  of  the  Convention  is  intended  to 
make  radio  telegraphy  a  means  of  preventing  disaster  or  of  lessen- 
ing the  consequences,  it  seems  necessary  to  show  clearly  that  no  dis- 
tinction is  made  as  to  who  may  be  the  victim  of  the  disaster  or  whether 
the  call  emanates  from  the  vessel  in  distress  or  not. 

In  order  to  conform  to  the  provisions,  it  is  necessary  merely  that 
the  signal  of  distress  shall  be  exchanged  by  radio  stations  subject  to 
the  Convention.  It  would  seem  expedient  to  have  the  call  of  distress 
followed  by  suitable  designations  so  that,  whenever  possible,  the 
nearest  coastal  station  could  intervene,  and  it  would  seem  desirable 
to  impose  the  use  of  a  general  signal  and  not  permit  the  use  of  any 
other  signal. 

The  addition  of  the  words :  "  Unless  such  station  does  not  reply  at 
all  "  is  in  the  interest  of  the  station  making  the  call,  which,  receiving 
no  reply  from  the  station  designated,  often  continues  its  calls  to 
this  station,  as  has  been  shown  by  experience,  without  having  re- 
course to  another  station  able  to  render  assistance  in  response  to  calls 
of  distress,  but  having  no  power  to  offer  its  services  without  the  addi- 
tion proposed. 

XVII. 

1.  The  call  letters  following  the  letters 


"PUB"  signify  that  the  vessel  or  station  making  the 
call  desires  to  communicate  with  the  station  called  by 
means  of  the  International  Signal  Code. 

The  combination  of  the  letters  P  E  B  as  a  service 
signal  for  any  other  purpose  than  that  specified  above  is 
prohibited. 

2.  Radiograms  may  be  framed  with  the  aid  of  the 
International  Signal  Code. 

Those  addressed  to  a  radio  station  with  a  view  to 
being  forwarded  by  it  are  not  to  be  translated  by  such 
station. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Paragraph  2  to  be  suppressed. 

REASONS. 
(See  remarks  concerning  Art.  X.) 


63  EADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONTENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

FRANCE. 

Add  a  third  paragraph,  as  follows : 

"  3.  Stations  shall  use  the  signals  contained  in  the  list  annexed 
to  the  present  Regulations  for  the  purpose  of  giving  or  requesting 
information  concerning  the  radio  service." 

REASONS. 

In  order  to  increase  the  rapidity  of  the  service  it  is  desirable  to 
place  at  the  disposition  of  stations  a  list  of  abbreviations  correspond- 
ing to  the  usual  data  necessary  for  the  exercise  of  the  service. 

6.    OEDEE  OF  TEANSMISSION. 

XVIII. 

Between  two  stations  radiograms  of  the  same  order 
shall  be  transmitted,  one  by  one,  by  the  two  stations  alter- 
nately or  in  series  of  several  radiograms,  as  the  coastal 
station  may  indicate,  provided  the  duration  of  the  trans- 
mission of  each  series  does  not  exceed  20  minutes. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

SPAIN. 

Revise  Article  XVIII  as  follows : 

"  Between  two  stations  radiograms  of  the  same  order  shall  be 
transmitted  one  by  one,  by  the  two  stations  alternately,  or  in  series 
of  several  radiograms,  giving  priority  to  those  which  are  urgent  in 
character,  as  indicated  *  *  *.". 

REASONS. 

As  the  result  of  the  adoption  of  the  proposition  presented  under 
Article  XXXIII. 

C.    METHOD  OF  CALLING  EADIO  STATIONS  AND  TEANS- 
MISSION  OF  EADIOGEAMS. 

XIX. 

L  As  a  general  rule,  it  shall  be  the  shipboard  station 
that  calls  the  coastal  station. 

2.  The  call  should  be  made,  as  a  general  rule,  only 
when  the  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the  coastal  station 
is  less  than  75  per  cent  of  the  normal  range  of  the,  latter. 


64  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

o.  Before  proceeding  to  a  call  the  station  on  shipboard 
shall  adjust  its  receiving  apparatus  to  its  maximum  sensi- 
bility and  make  sure  that  the  coastal  station  which  it 
wishes  to  call  up  is  not  in  correspondence  with  any  other 
station.  If  it  finds  that  any  transmission  is  in  progress, 
it  shall  wait  for  the  first  pause. 

4.  The  shipboard  station  shall  use  for  calling  the  nor- 
mal wave  of  the  coastal  station. 

5.  If  in  spite  of  these  precautions  the  public  exchange 
of  radiograms  is  impeded  at  any  place,  the  call  shall  cease 
upon  the  first  request  from  a  coastal  station  open  to  public 
correspondence.     The  latter  station  shall  in  such  case 
indicate  the  approximate  length  of  time  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  wait. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

Paragraph  1.    Add  the  following  words: 
"  whether  or  not  it  has  business  to  transmit." 

REASONS. 

In  order  that  coastal  stations  may  be  able  to  transmit  their  radio- 
grams to  passing  ships  should  the  case  occur. 

JAPAN. 

Change  this  article  as  follows : 

"  When  the  station  on  shipboard  comes  within  the  normal  range 
of  the  coastal  station,  the  station  on  shipboard  shall  as  a  general  rule 
call  the  coastal  station  and  shall  make  known  to  it : 

"(0.)  The  position  of  the  ship  in  latitude  and  longitude,  or  the 
distance  of  the  ship  from  the  coastal  station  in  nautical  miles  and 
her  true  bearing  in  degrees  counted  from  0  to  360. 

"(!>}  Her  true  course  in  degrees  counted  from  0  to  360. 

"(<?)  Her  speed  in  nautical  miles." 

GERMANY  (1st). 

Paragraph  2  to  read : 

"  In  waters  where  radio  traffic  is  very  great  (British  Channel,  etc.) 
the  call  *  *  *." 

REASONS. 

It  does  not  seem  necessary  as  a  general  rule  to  fix  a  maximum 
limit  of  75  per  cent,  except  for  communications  to  be  established  in 
waters  where  radio  traffic  is'very  great  (British  Channel,  etc.). 


65  KADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

GERMANY  (2d). 

Add  at  the  end  of  this  paragraph  the  following  words : 
"Provided,  That  the  coastal  station  lies  within  the  normal  range 
of  the  station  on  shipboard." 

REASONS. 

With  a  view  to  avoiding  an  unnecessary  call  which  might  inter- 
fere with  the  service  of  other  stations  on  shipboard  which  were  al- 
ready sufficiently  near  to  the  coastal  station. 

AUSTRIA. 

Cancel  paragraph  2. 

REASONS. 

The  possibility  of  radio  communication  depends  upon  accidental 
circumstances  so  that  the  normal  range  of  coastal  stations  can  not  be 
indicated  except  approximately. 

Experience  has  shown  that  stations  on  shipboard  generally  trans- 
mit radiograms  to  coastal  stations  when  they  can  hear  their  signals 
distinctly. 

FRANCE. 

Suppress  paragraph  2. 

REASONS. 

The  provision  under  paragraph  2  may  be  suppressed  without  in- 
convenience. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Article  XIX.  Replace  the  present  text  of  paragraph  2  by  the 
following: 

"  2.  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  exchange  calls  with  every 
coastal  station  near  which  it  shall  pass.  As  a  general  rule  the  call 
shall  be  made  when  the  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the  coastal  sta- 
tion is  less  than  75  per  cent  of  the  normal  range  of  the  latter." 

REASONS. 

Stations  on  shipboard  frequently  pass  close  to  coastal  stations 
without  signaling  their  presence,  so  that  radiograms  which  are  being 
held  at  a  coastal  station  pending  the  passing  of  ships  can  not  be 
sent  to  their  destination.  (See  proposition  relating  to  the  amend- 
ment of  Art.  XXII.) 

JAPAN. 

(See  under  Art.  XXII,  a  proposition  which  seems  to  have  a 
bearing  on  this  paragraph.) 


35144—12 9 


66  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Paragraph  4.  Insert  at  the  beginning  the  words  "  as  a  general 
rule." 

REASONS. 

It  follows  from  the  propositions  submitted  under  Articles  II  and 
III,  that  the  use  of  the  normal  wave  of  the  coastal  station  by  a  ship- 
board station  for  calling  should  not  be  prescribed  as  exclusively 
obligatory,  but  as  a  rule  to  which  exceptions  may  be  made  for  the 
purpose  of  preventing  interference. 

FRANCE. 

Modify  the  beginning  of  paragraph  5  as  follows : 
"  5.  If  in  spite  of  these  precautions  the  transmission  of  a  radio- 
gram is  impeded,  the  sail  shall  cease    *     *     * ." 

REASONS. 

Since  the  changes  relating  to  paragraph  5  involve  a  question  of 
form  the  word  "  transmission "  seems  preferable  to  "  exchange." 
Furthermore,  the  word  "  public  "  i§  not  necessary,  inasmuch  as  the 
provision  formulated  under  this  paragraph  applies  to  every  radio 
transmission. 

JAPAN. 

(See  under  Art.  XX,  a  proposition  which  seems  to  have  a  bearing 
on  this  paragraph.) 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  6 : 

"  6.  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  notify  every  coastal  station 
within  whose  range  it  may  be,  and  to  which  it  has  signaled  its  pres- 
ence (see  par.  2),  when  it  proposes  to  cease  operations,  and  shall  in- 
dicate the  probable  length  of  time  the  interruption  will  last." 

REASONS. 

Operators  on  shipboard  sometimes  close  their  stations  without 
having  informed  the  coastal  station,  and  the  futile  calls  entail  much 
unnecessary  work  if  the  station  has  radiograms  to  transmit  to  a  ship. 


XX. 

1.  The  call  shall  comprise  the  signal 


the  call  letters  of  the  station  called  repeated  three  times, 
the  word  "from"  ("de")  followed  by  the  call  letters  of 
the  sending  station  repeated  three  times. 


67  RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

2.  The  called  station  shall  answer  by  making  the  signal 


followed  by  the  call  letters  of  the  corresponding  station 
repeated  three  times,  the  word  "from,"  its  own  call 
letters,  and  the  signal 


PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

Add  a  third  paragraph,  as  follows : 

"3.  Stations  on  shipboard  desiring  to  enter  into  communication 
with  other  ships,  without,  however,  knowing  the  names  of  the  ships 
which  may  be  within  their  radius  of  action,  may  employ  the  signal 
-  .  (signal  of  inquiry).  The  provisions  of 'paragraphs 
1  and  2  are  likewise  applicable  to  the  transmission  of  a  signal  of  in- 
quiry and  to  the  answer  to  such  signal." 

REASONS. 

With  a  view  to  facilitating  the  establishment  of  communication 
between  ships  which  are  beyond  the  radius  of  action  of  the  coastal 
stations. 

JAPAN  (IstJ. 

Replace  the  present  text  of  Article  XX  by  the  following : 

"ARTICLE  XX. 

"  1.  Before  proceeding  to  call,  the  coastal  station  or  the  station 
on  shipboard  shall  adjust  its  receiving  apparatus  to  its  maximum 
sensibility  and  make  sure  that  the  station  which  it  wishes  to  call  up, 
or  any  other  station,  is  not  in  correspondence.  If  it  finds  that  any 
transmission  is  in  progress,  and  unless  it  has  made  sure  that  its 
call  will  not  occasion  interference  in  such  transmission,  it  shall  wait 
for  the  first  pause.  The  same  applies  in  case  it  desires  to  answer  a 
call. 

"2.  If  in  spite  of  these  precautions  a  request  to  suspend  the  call 
shall  be  made  for  the  reason  that  the  public  exchange  of  radiograms 
is  impeded  at  any  place,  the  call  shall  cease  at  once.  In  such  case 
the  station  requesting  suspension  of  the  call  shall  indicate  the  prob- 
able length  of  time  it  will  be  necessary  to  wait. 

"  3.  The  coastal  station  and  a  station  on  shipboard  .whose  work  is 
not  very  active  shall  whenever  possible  listen  for  calls  from  other 
stations  during  the  first  10  minutes  of  each  hour." 

JAPAN   (2d). 

Add  to  the  present  Article  XX  the  two  paragraphs  following  and 
number  them  XXI: 

"3.  When  a  coastal  station  or  a  station  on  shipboard  wishes  to 
ascertain  whether  shipboard  or  a  coastal  station  is  present  within 


68  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

its  radius  of  action  or  not,  it  shall  proceed  to  call  as  provided  in 
paragraph  1  of  the  present  article,  but  instead  of  using  the  call  letter 
of  the  station  called,  repeated  three  times,  it  shall  use  the  following 

signal,  repeated  three  times:  . .  —  .  ; 

"4.  In  case  a  station  perceives  the  signal  provided  by  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph,  it  shall  answer  as  provided  in  paragraph  2  of  the 
present  article,  using  a  wave  length  of  300  meters/' 

XXL 

If  a  station  called  does  not  answer  the  call  (Art. 
XX)  repeated  three  times  at  intervals  of  two  minutes, 
the  call  shall  not  be  resumed  until  after  an  interval  of 
half  an  hour,  the  station  issuing  the  call  having  first  made 
sure  that  no  radio  correspondence  is  in  progress. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

Replace  the  words  "  half  an  hour  "  by  "  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

REASONS. 

The  German  management  has  found  by  experience  thaf  a  wait  of 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  resuming  the  call  may  be  considered  as 
sufficient. 

FRANCE. 

1.  Complete  the  text  by  the  following  sentence : 

"  However,  the  length  of  time  during  which  such  calls  shall  be 
made  shall  not  exceed  two  hours." 

2.  Add  the  following  paragraph: 

"  In  the  case  of  State  radiograms,  however,  the  station  shall  make, 
in  case  it  receives  no  answer,  a  series  of  four  calls  every  6  hours  for  a 
period  of  24  hours." 

REASONS. 

1.  The  present  text  does  not  provide  for  the  length  of  time  during 
which  a  station  may  call.    It  seems  necessary  to  limit  such  time  to  two 
hours. 

2.  In  view  of  the  importance  of  State  radiograms,  it  seems  neces- 
sary ,to  prescribe  certain  measures  for  the  purpose  of  assuring  the 
transmission  of  such  radiograms.     The  provisions  proposed  above 
would  seem  sufficient  to  attain  this  end. 

JAPAN. 
Change  the  text  of  the  present  Article  XXI  and  number  it  XXII. 

"ARTICLE  XXII. 

"  If  a  station  called  does  not  answer  the  call  repeated  three  times 
at  intervals  of  two  minutes  (new  Art.  XXI),  the  call  shall  not  be 
resumed  until  after  an  interval  of  half  an  hour,  except  in  case  the 


69  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

calling  station  has  made  sure  that  its-  call  will  not  interfere  in  the 
correspondence  of  the  station  which  it  wishes  to  call,  or  of  other 
stations." 

NETHERLANDS. 

Read  as  follows: 

"If  the  station  called  does  not  answer  to  the  first  call  (Article 
XX),  the  call  shall  not  be  repeated  except  at  intervals  of  two 
minutes." 

REASONS. 

Experience  has  shown  that  a  wait  of  half  an  hour  may  cause  the 
loss  of  the  correspondence,  while  there  is  no  objection  to  the  call 
being  repeated  at  intervals  of  two  minutes,  in  view  of  the  provision 
of  Article  XIX,  paragraph  5,  by  virtue  of  which  any  coastal  station 
may  cause  the  cessation  of  interference  resulting  from  such  call. 

FRANCE. 

Add  the  following  new  article: 

"ARTICLE  XXI-a. 

"  Every  station  which  has  occasion  to  send  a  radiogram  requir- 
ing the  use  of  its  maximum  power  shall  first  send  out  20  consecutive 
dashes  at  the  power  which  it  was  employing  for  its  previous  service. 
It  shall  not  begin  to  transmit  at  high  power  until  30  seconds  after 
sending  the  20  dashes." 

REASONS. 

This  provision  is  intended  to  notify  stations  that  they  must  take 
the  necessary  measures  to  prevent  injury  to  their  apparatus  which 
might  result  when  a  station  intends  at  a  given  moment  to  transmit  at 
high  power. 

XXII. 

1.  As  soon  as  the  coastal  station  has  answered,  the 
shipboard  station  shall  make  known  to  it : 

(a)  The  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the  coastal  station 
in  nautical  miles. 

(b)  Her  true  bearing  in  degrees,  counted  from  0  to 
360. 

(c)  Her   true   course   in    degrees,    counted   from    0 
to  360. 

(d)  Her  speed  in  nautical  miles. 

(e)  The  number  of  words  she  has  to  transmit. 

2.  The  coastal  station  shall  answer,  stating  the  num- 
ber of  words  to  be  transmitted  to  the  vessel. 


70  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

3.  If  the  communication  can  not  take  place  imme- 
diately, the  coastal  station  shall  inform  the  station  on 
shipboard  of  the  approximate  length  of  time  that  it  will 
be  necessary  to  wait. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

/ 

Article  XXII,  paragraph  1,  replace  paragraphs  (a),  (&),  and  (c) 
by  the  following  paragraphs  : 

"(a)  The  approximate  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the  coastal  sta- 
tion in  nautical  miles ; 

"(&)  The  position  of  the  vessel  in  a  concise  form  conformable  to 
the  circumstances; 

"  (c)  The  next  port  at  which  the  vessel  will  call ; 

"(d)  The  approximate  number  of  words  she  has  to  transmit." 

REASONS. 

To  obtain  the  data  prescribed  by  the  present  provisions  causes  con- 
siderable trouble  and  a  great  loss  of  time.  The  simplification  pro- 
posed will  therefore  facilitate  the  service  of  the  stations. 

AUSTRIA. 

Paragraph  1,  (<z),  (&),  (c),  (d).  Replace  the  present  text  by  the 
following : 

"(«)  The  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the  coastal  station  either  io 
nautical  miles  or  by  indicating  the  true  bearing  in  degrees,  or  a  place, 
cape,  or  island  in  the  vicinity,  for  example :  •  Near  Corfu,  near  Cape 
Matapan.' 

"  The  speed  and  course  shall  not  be  indicated  except  when  such 
information  is  necessary." 

REASONS. 

The  signals  of  weak  stations  on  shipboard  can  not  be  heard  for  a 
very  long  time  without  losing  them.  Consequently,  it  is  necessary 
to  abbreviate  .the  service  indications  as  much  as  possible  in  order  to 
be  able  to  transmit  the  text  of  the  radiogram  itself  more  successfully. 

TRANCE. 

Replace  the  text  of  paragraph  1  by  the  following : 
"  1.  As  soon  as  a  coastal  station  has  answered,  the  station  on  ship- 
board shall  make  known  to  it  the  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the 
coastal  station  in  nautical  miles  and  the  number  of  words  she  has  to 
transmit." 

REASONS. 

Information  concerning  the  bearing,  course,  and  speed  of  the  vessel 
do  not  answer  any  need  affecting  the  transmission.  It  is  proposed 
that  they  be  suppressed. 


71  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Article  XXII,  paragraph  1,  read : 

"1.  As  soon  as  the  coastal  station  has  answered,  the  shipboard 
station,  if  it  has  messages  to  transmit  or  upon  request  from  the  coastal 
station,  shall  make  known : 

"(a)  The  approximate  distance  of  the  vessel' from  the  coastal  sta- 
tion in  nautical  miles ; 

"(&)  Its  approximate  bearing  expressed  either  in  degrees  counted 
from  0  to  360  or  in  the  language  of  the  country  to  which  the  coastal 
station  belongs; 

"  (c)   Its  next  port  of  call ; 

"(d)  If  necessary,  the  number  of  words  which  it  has  to  transmit." 

REASONS. 

As  a  general  rule  the  coastal  station  does  not  need  to  know  how 
long  the  vessel  will  remain  in  contact  with  it  when  it  has  no  radio- 
grams to  transmit;  however,  it  is  desirable  that  the  coastal  station 
in  case  of  necessity  shall  be  authorized  to  request  such  information. 
It  is  desirable  to  simplify  and  abridge  the  information  relating  to 
bearing  and  the  position  of  the  vessel.  The  following  example  will 
show  how  the  indications  proposed  should  be  given:  40  (distance  in 
nautical  miles),  SW.  (southwest;  the  bearing  should  be  communicated 
in  the  English  language),  Plymouth  (next  port  of  call),  35  (number 
of  words  to  be  transmitted). 

Regarding  the  bearing  of  a  vessel,  difficulties  sometimes  arise  when 
the  bearing  is  indicated  in  conformity  with  the  present  provisions  of 
the  Regulations.  With  a  view  to  obviating  such  difficulties  it  is  pro- 
posed to  authorize  the  communication  of  the  bearing  in  the  current 
language  (in  suitable  terms)  in  all  cases  where  this  method  would 
be  advantageous. 

JAPAN. 

Cancel  the  present  Article  XXII. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Read  as  follows : 

"  If,  after  the  coastal  station  has  answered,  transmission  can  not 
begin  at  once,  the  coastal  station  shall  indicate  the  approximate 
length  of  time  it  will  be  necessary  to  wait. 

"  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  furnish,  upon  request,  the  neces- 
sary data  to  indicate  its  geographical  position." 

REASONS. 

The  data  referred  to  in  Article  XXII,  pargraph  1,  are  not  always, 
needed.  However,  it  is  necessary  to  impose  the  obligation  to  com- 
municate the  position  in  case  it  may  be  favorable  for  the  transmis- 
sion of  radiograms. 

GERMANY. 

Paragraph  2.  Cancel  the  period  and  add : 

"and  the  exact  time,  adding,  in  case  of  doubt,  an  indication  of  the 
time  adopted  by  the  station  (for  example,  central  European  time, 
etc.). 


72  RADIO  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

";  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  enter  the  preliminaries  to  trans- 
mission after  the  time  of  the  coastal  station." 

SEASONS. 

In  order  to  facilitate  the  subsequent  control  of  the  service  of  the 
stations. 

JAPAN. 

Cancel  the  present  Article  XXII. 
(This  refers  to  par.  2.) 

JAPAN. 

Cancel  the  present  Article  XXII. 
(This  refers  to  par.  3.) 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  4: 

"4.  The  letters  T  R  shall  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the 
information  referred  to  in  the  first  paragraph. 

REASONS. 

The  use  of  the  letters  T  R  should  be  authorized  for  the  service  in- 
dications relating  to  the  bearing  of  the  ship.  This  sign  is  already 
frequently  used. 

XXIII. 

When  a  coastal  station  receives  calls  from  several 
shipboard  stations,  the  coastal  station  shall  decide  the 
order  in  which  the  shipboard  stations  shall  be  admitted 
to  exchange  their  messages. 

In  fixing  this  order  the  coastal  station  shall  be  guided 
exclusively  by  the  necessity  of  permitting  each  station 
concerned  to  exchange  the  greatest  possible  number  of 
radiograms. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

JAPAN. 
Change  Article  XXIII  as  follows : 

"ARTICLE  XXIII. 

"  When  a  station  called  receives  calls  from  several  stations,  it  shall 
decide  the  order  in  which  the  stations  calling  shall  be  admitted  to 
exchange  their  messages. 


73  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION  OF  BERLIN. 

"  In  fixing  this  order  the  station  called  shall  be  guided  exclusively 
by  the  necessity  of  permitting  each  station  concerned  to  exchange 
the  greatest  possible  number  of  radiograms." 

GERMANY. 

Introduction  of  a  new  Article  XXIII-a. 
"ARTICLE  XXIII-a. 

"  1.  Stations  established  on  board  lightships  shall  not  communi- 
cate with  vessels  at  sea  by  radio  telegraphy,  except  in  case  of  dis- 
tress and  in  urgent  cases  affecting  the  service  of  such  vessels.  The 
latter  shall  comprise  particularly  information  furnished  -with  a  view 
to  preventing  casualties  at  sea  or  to  assist  navigation,  such  as  re- 
quests and  information  concerning  the  illumination  of  navigable 
waters,  disposition  of  buoys  and  changes  of  current  in  such  waters, 
obstacles  to  navigation,  atmospheric  conditions,  storm  signals,  etc." 

REASONS. 

It  would  seem  necessary,  in  view  of  the  great  increase  in  the  num- 
ber of  lightships  provided  with  radio  apparatus  and  their  impor- 
tance to  navigation,  to  regulate  in  a  uniform  manner  the  corre- 
spondence of  lightships  with  other  vessels. 

"2.  Telegrams  exchanged  by  means  of  semaphores  between  a 
lightship  and  a  ship  at  sea,  and  by  radio  telegraphy  between  the 
same  lightship  and  the  mainland,  shall  be  considered  as  semaphore 
telegrams." 

REASONS. 

In  consideration  of  the  fact  that  radio  communication  between  a 
lightship  permanently  anchored  and  a  coastal  station  takes  place  by 
cable,  and  should  be  considered  as  an  ordinary  extension  of  the 
telegraph  system. 

"  3.  Telegrams  exchanged  by  radio  telegraphy  between  a  lightship 
and  a  ship  at  sea  shall  be  considered  as  radiograms.  In  case  a  radio- 
gram is  also  transmitted  by  radio  telegraphy  between  the  lightship 
and  the  mainland  the  coastal  rate  shall  be  collected  but  once." 

XXIV. 

Before  beginning  the  exchange  of  correspondence  the 
coastal  station  shall  advise  the  shipboard  station  whether 
the  transmission  is  to  be  effected  in  the  alternate  order 
or  by  series  (Art.  XVIII)  ;  it  shall  then  begin  the 
transmission  or  follow  up  the  preliminaries  with  the 
signal 


(invitation  to  transmit) . 


35144—12 10 


74  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

JAPAN. 

Change  Article  XXIV  as  follows : 

"  1.  As  soon  as  the  station  called  has  answered,  the  station  calling 
shall  communicate,  according  to  circumstances,  in  addition  to  the 
information  referred  to  under  Article  XIX,  the  number  of  radio- 
grams and,  if  necessary,  of  words  that  it  has  to  transmit  to  the  station 
called. 

"  2.  The  station  called  shall  answer  and  indicate  the  number  of 
radiograms  and.  if  necessary,  of  words  that  it  has  to  transmit,  fol- 
lowed by  the  signal  —  .  — 

"  If  the  coastal  station  is  the  station  called  it  shall  advise  the 
calling  station,  before  beginning  the  exchange  of  correspondence, 
whether  the  transmission  is  to  be  effected  in  the  alternate  order  or 
by  series;  it  shall  then  begin  the  transmission  or  follow  up  the  pre- 
liminaries with  the  signal  —  .  — 

"  3.  If  the  transmission  or  reception  can  not  take  place  immedi- 
ately, the  station  called  shall  indicate  to  the  calling  station  the  ap- 
proximate length  of  time  it  wrill  be  necessary  to  wait." 

REASONS. 

I.1  It  does  not  seem  necessary  that  call  shall  be  permitted  only 
when  the  distance  of  the  vessel  from  the  coastal  station  is  less  than 
three-quarters  of  the  latter's  normal  range. 

2.  When  the  station  on  shipboard  enters  within  the  radius  of  action 
of  the  coastal  station  it  would  be  desirable  to  announce  its  presence 
to  the  coastal  station. 

3.  It  would  seem  to  be  advantageous,  as  a  general  rule,  to  indicate 
the  position  of  the  vessel  by  latitude  and  longitude  instead  of  by 
her  distance  and  true  bearing. 

4.  There  would  seem  to  be  no  objection  to  admitting  the  call  if  the 
station  calling  has  made  sure,  that  its  call  will  not  interfere  in  the 
correspondence  of  other  stations. 

5.  Many  cases  arise  in  which  the  call  is  begun  by  the  coastal  sta- 
tion.   It  would  therefore  seem  necessary  to  provide  for  such  cases  in 
the  regulations. 

6.  It  is  desirable  to  fix  a  time  during  which  coastal  stations  and 
the  stations  on  shipboard  whose  work  is  not  very  great  should  listen 

"for  calls  from  other  stations. 

7.  It  seems  necessary  that  every  station  should  know  whether  any 
other  station  is  present  within  its  radius  of  ^action. 

8.  It  would  be  better  in  many  cases  to  make  known  the  number  of 
radiograms  instead  of  the  number  of  words.     However,  in  the  case 
of  long  radiograms  it  would  seem  necessary  to  indicate  the  number 
of  words  also. 

XXV. 

The  transmission  of  the  radiograms  shall  be  preceded 
by  the  signal 


75  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

and  terminated  by  the  signal 

followed  by  the  name  of  the  sending  station. 
PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Replace  this  article  by  the  following: 

"ARTICLE  XXV. 

"  The  transmission  of  the  radiograms  shall  be  preceded  by  the 
signal  — «-  .  —  .  —  and  terminated  by  the  signal  •  —  •  —  .  fol- 
lowed by  the  name  of  the  sending  station  and  the  signal  —  .  — 

"  The  signal  —  •  —  •  —  shall  be  repeated  four  times  at  the 
beginning  of  the  transmission  of  the  first  radiogram." 

REASONS. 

It  seems  necessary  to  end  with  the  signal  —  •  — .  which  would 
indicate  that  the  message  may  be  sent. 

Moreover,  the  signal  —  •  —  •  —  is  too  short  to  permit  the  ad- 
justment of  the  installation;  it  would  be  better  to  repeat  it  four 
times  at  the  time  of  transmitting  the  first  radiogram. 

BRITISH   INDIES. 

The  final  signal  •  —  •  —  -no  longer  seems  to  be  used,  it  being 
understood  that  the  signal  •  •  •  —  •  is  always  used  in  its  place. 

FRANCE. 

Insert  the  present  Article  X,  modified  as  follows : 
"ARTICLE  XXV-a. 

"  1.  Radiograms  shall  show  in  the  preamble  that  the  service  is 
'  Radio,'  f  olowed  by  the  indication  '  ZC  '  or  '  GZ,'  according  to 
whether  the  sender  has  requested  as  the  coastal  rate  the  tariff  of 
0.20  franc  or  0.00  franc.  In  case  the  radiogram  has  been  rated  at 
the  normal  tariff  of  0.40  franc  the  word  '  Radio  '  is  not  followed  by 
any  other  indication. 

"  2.  In  the  transmission  of  radiograms  of  shipboard  stations  to 
coastal  stations  the  date  and  hour  of  posting  may  be  omitted  in  the 
preamble. 

"  Upon  forwarding  over  the  telegraph  system,  the  coastal  station 
shall  enter  its  own  name,  followed  by  that  of  the  ship  as  the  office  of 
origin,  and  shall  state  as  the  hour  of  posting  the  hour  when  the 
radiogram  was  received  by  it." 


76  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  tariff  schedule  proposed  under  Article  XII  requires  that,  in 
the  interests  of  the  service  of  transmission  and  of  accounts,  mention 
shall  be  made  of  the  maritime  rates  which  have  been  collected.  It 
is  proposed,  to  this  end,  to  represent  the  coastal  rate  of  0.20  franc 
by  the  designation  "  ZC  "  and  that  of  t).60  franc  by  "  GZ."  These 
designations  should  be  placed  in  the  preamble  after  the  word  radio. 
The  rate  0.40  franc,  which  is  the  one  which  should  be  normally  ap- 
plied when  the  sender  has  not  specified  the  rate  he  desires,  should 
be  indicated  by  the  word  radio  without  any  further  designation. 

BRITISH   INDIES. 

t 

Insert  a  new  article  indicating  the  manner  of  transmitting  radio- 
grams in  correspondence  with  ships,  to  wit,  the  order  of  transmission 
of  the  date,  hour,  and  other  particulars  of  a  radiogram. 

It  would  be  well  for  these  provisions  to  be  uniform  as  to  the  form 
and  the  manner  of  procedure  both  for  the  reception  and  transmission 
of  radiograms. 

REASONS. 

At  present,  as  a  general  rule,  stations  on  shipboard  are  requested 
to  fix  the  order  of  transmission  of  the  particulars  of  radiograms. 

XXVI. 

When  a  radiogram  to  be  transmitted  contains  more 
than  40  words,  the  sending  station  shall  interrupt  the 
transmission  after  each  series  of  about  20  words  by  an 
interrogation  point 

and  shall  not  resume  it  until  after  it  has  obtained  from 
the  receiving  station  a  repetition  of  the  last  word  duly 
received,  followed  by  an  interrogation  point. 

In  the  case  of  transmission  by  series,  acknowledgment 
of  receipt  shall  be  made  after  each  radiogram. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Complete  the  first  paragraph  as  follows : 

by  an  interrogation  point  or,  if  the  reception  is  satis- 
factory, the  signal  — .  —  (invitation  to  transmit)." 

REASONS. 

It  does  not  seem  necessary  to  repeat  in  all  cases  the  last  word  duly 
received.  When  the  reception  is  satisfactory  is  would  be  sufficient 
for  the  receiving  station  to  give  the  signal  —  .  — . 


77  EADIO  TELEGKAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

XXVII. 

1.  When  the  signals  become  doubtful  every  possible 
means  shall  be  resorted  to  to  finish  the  transmission.    To 
this  end  the  radiogram  shall  be  repeated  at  the  request 
of  the  receiving  station,  but  not  to  exceed  three  times. 
If  in  spite  of  such  triple  repetition  the  signals  are  still 
unreadable  the  radiogram  shall  be  canceled.     If  no  ac- 
knowledgment  of   receipt   is   received   the   transmitting 
station  shall  again  call  up  the  receiving  station.     If  no 
reply  is  made  after  three  calls  the  transmission  shall  not 
be  followed  up  any  further. 

2.  If  in  the  opinion  of  the  receiving  station  the  radio- 
gram,   although   imperfectly   received,    is,    nevertheless, 
capable  of  transmission,  said  station  shall  enter  the  words 
"reception  doubtful"  at  the  end  of  the  preamble  and 
let  the  radiogram  follow. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

NETHERLANDS. 

i 

Add  to  the  first  paragraph  the  following : 

"  In  the  latter  case  the  sending  station  shall  have  the  privilege  of 
causing  the  acknowledgment  of  receipt  to  be  made  by  another  radio 
station,  if  necessary,  using  the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system." 

REASONS. 

An  additional  opportunity  would  thus  be  afforded  for  obtaining 
the  assurance  that  the  radiogram  has  been  duly  received  and,  there- 
fore, of  informing  the  sender  that  his  telegram  has  reached  its  desti- 
nation. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Paragraph  2.  Add  a  new  paragraph  as  follows : 

"  In  such  case  the  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  sub- 
ject shall  reclaim  the  charges  in  conformity  with  the  provisions  of 
Article  XXXVI  of  the  present  Regulations.  However,  in  case  the 
shipboard  station  shall  have  subsequently  transmitted  the  radiogram 
to  another  coastal  station  under  the  same  management,  the  latter 
may  reclaim  only  the  charges  applicable  to  a  single  transmission. 
When  a  duplicate  of  the  radiogram  has  been  transmitted  to  a  coastal 
station  belonging  to  another  management  the  coastal  and  telegraph 
rates  collected  on  shipboard  shall  be  divided  equally  between  the 
two  managements  to  which  the  two  coastal  stations  in  question  are 
subject." 


78  KADIO   TELEGEAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  present  Regulations  do  not  include  provisions  covering  the 
subject  of  the  division  of  rates  collected  for  a  radiogram  which,  in 
consequence  of  the  nonarrival  of  an  acknowledgment  of  receipt  for 
the  first  transmission,  has  been  subsequently  forwarded  by  a  ship. 
The  provision  mentioned  above  is  intended  to  supply  this  deficiency 
in  a  manner  which  would  seem  to  be  the  most  equitable. 

XXVIII. 

All  stations  are  bound  to  carry  on  the  service  with  sas 
little  expense  of  energy  as  may  be  necessary  to  insure 
safe  communication. 

d.    ACKNOWLEDGMENT    OF    RECEIPT    AND    CONCLUSION 

OF  WORK. 

XXIX. 

1.  Eeceipt  shall  be  acknowledged  in  the  form   pre- 
scribed by  the  International  Telegraph  Regulations,  pre- 
ceded by  the  call  letters  of  the  transmitting  station  and 
followed  by  those  of  the  receiving  station. 

2.  The  conclusion  of  a  correspondence  between  two 
stations  shall  be  indicated  by  each  station  by  means  of 
the  signal 


followed  by  its  call  letters. 

EXTRACT  FROM  INTERNATIONAL  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION  AND  SERVICE 
REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

XXXIX. 

After  the  verification  of  the  number  of  words  and.  if  necessary,  the  official 
repetition,  the  office  which  has  received  gives  to  that  which  has  transmitted 
the  acknowledgment  of  receipt  of  the  telegram  or  of  the  telegrams  constituting 
the  series. 

This  acknowledgment  of  receipt  is  given,  for  a  single  telegram,  by  R  fol- 
lowed by  the  number  of  the  telegram  received :  "  R  436." 

For  a  series  of  telegrams,  R  is  given  with  the  indication  of  the  number  of 
telegrams  received,  as  well  as  the  first  and  last  number  of  the  series :  "  R  5 
157  980." 


79  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

e.   DIRECTIONS    TO    BE    FOLLOWED    IN    SENDING 
EADIOGRAMS. 

XXX. 

1.  In  general,   the  shipboard  stations  shall  transmit 
their  radiograms  to  the  nearest  coastal  station. 

2.  A  sender  on  board  a  vessel  shall,  however,  have  the 
right  to  designate  the  coastal  station  through  which  he 
desires  to  have  his  radiogram  transmitted. 

3.  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  then  wait  until  such 
coastal  station  shall  be  the  nearest.     If  this  can  not  bo 
done,  the  wishes  of  the  sender  are  to  be  complied  with 
only  if  the  transmission  can  be  effected  without  inter- 
fering with  the  service  of  other  stations. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

BELGIUM. 

Add  to  paragraph  1  the  following: 

"  If  the  station  on  shipboard  has  a  choice  of  several  coastal  sta- 
tions at  the  same  or  nearly  the  same  distance  it  shall,  nevertheless, 
give  preference  to  the  one  established  within  the  territory  of  the  coun- 
try of  destination  or  normal  transit  for  its  radiograms.'' 

REASONS. 

A  supplementary  provision,  which  will  further  the  prompt  trans- 
mission of  radiograms  over  the  ordinary  telegraph  system  and  give 
to  the  sender  the  benefit  of  lower  rates. 

BELGIAN   CONGO. 

Article  XXX  of  the  Service  Regulations  annexed  to  the  Conven- 
tion stipulates  in  general  that  the  stations  on  shipboard  having  to 
communicate  with  the  coast  or  with  the  shore  shall  use  the  nearest 
coastal  station. 

This  stipulation  is  frequently  not  observed.  The  offending  sta- 
tions under  such  circumstances  use  a  high  power,  and  their  trans- 
missions interfere  with  the  service  over  an  extended  zone. 

In  order  to  put  an  end  to  this  state  of  things  it  might  be  decided 
to  assign  a  fixed  zone  to  each  coastal  station,  which  should  not  be 
exceeded  except  in  case  of  absolute  necessity.  Stations  on  shipboard 
would  have  to  take  account  of  this  limitation. 

For  example,  a  maximum  range  of  50  miles  might  be  assigned  to 
navigational  radio  stations  (radiophares)  and  wave  lengths  different 
from  the  commercial  wave  lengths. 


80  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    UF    BERLIN. 

FRANCE. 

(See  proposition  under  par.  2.) 

NETHERLANDS. 

Revise  Article  XXX  as  follows : 

"  1.  In  general,  the  shipboard  stations  shall  transmit  their  radio- 
grams to  the  nearest  coastal  station  which  answers  their  call." 
(See  the  addition  to  the  proposition  under  par.  2.) 

REASONS. 

It  often  happens,  especially  after  sundown,  that  a  station  is  able 
to  communicate  with  a  distant  station  although  nearer  stations  do  not 
hear  its  call. 

This  state  of  affairs  makes  it  desirable  to  add  to  the  first  paragraph 
the  words  "  which  answers  its  call,"  and  also  to  provide  an  oppor- 
tunity to  forward  radiograms  by  the  intermediation  of  a  coastal  sta- 
tion other  than  the  nearest  one  when  such  procedure  would  serve  to 
accelerate  transmission  and  permit  a  lower  charge,  or  when  desired 
by  the  sender;  always,  however,  with  the  understanding  that  the 
service  of  other  stations  shall  not  be  impeded  thereby. 

AUSTRIA. 

Paragraph  2.  Cancel  the  second  division  and  add  to  the  first  divi- 
sion the  following: 

"  but  the  wishes  of  the  sender  shall  not  be  complied  with  unless  the 
transmission  can  be  effected  without  interfering  with  the  service  of 
other  stations." 

REASONS. 

It  is  not  always  the  nearest  station  that  assures  the  most  rapid  and 
accurate  communication.  Moreover,  it  does  not  seem  justifiable  to 
defer  transmitting  a  radiogram  to  the  station  designated  by  the 
sender  simply  because  this  station  is  no  longer  the  nearest,  even  when 
the  transmission  could  be  effected  without  interfering  with  the  serv- 
ice of  other  stations. 

FRANCE. 

Replace  the  text  of  Article  XXX  by  the  following : 
"  1.  In  general  the  shipboard  stations  shall  transmit  their  radio- 
grams to  the  nearest  coastal  station. 

"2.  A  sender  on  board  a  vessel  shall,  however,  have  the  right  to 
designate  the  coastal,  station  through  which  he  desires  to  have  his 
radiogram  transmitted.  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  then  wait 
until  such  coastal  station  shall  be  the  nearest.  If  this  can  not  be 
done,  the  sender  shall  be  informed."  ,, 

REASONS. 

The  French  management  considers  that  it  is  conformable  to  the 
general  interests  to  compel  ships  to  transmit  their  radiograms  to  the 
nearest  coastal  stations.  This  measure  would  contribute  to  facilitate 


81  RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

to  a  great  extent  the  transmission  of  messages  by  avoiding  inter- 
ference. 

In  case  a  sender  requests  that  a  particular  station  be  used,  his  re- 
quest shall  be  complied  with  only  in  the  event  that  such  coastal 
station  will  at  a  certain  time  become  the  nearest  one. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Paragraph  2.  Replace  the  text  of  the  second  division  by  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  The  station  on  shipboard  shall  then  wait  until  such  coastal  sta- 
tion shall  be  the  nearest. 

"  If  this  can  not  be  done  the  station  on  shipboard  shall  obtain  from 
the  nearest  coastal  station  permission  to  communicate  with  the 
coastal  station  designated  by  the  sender.  This  permission  shall  not 
be  refused  if  the  desired  communication  can  be  established  without 
interfering  with  the  service  of  the  nearest  coastal  station." 

REASON  s. 

It  is  necessary  to  provide  a  means  of  deciding  in  the  case  of  a 
difference  of  opinion  as  to  whether  communication  may  be  estab- 
lished with  a  coastal  station  other  than  the  nearest  without  causing 
interference;  it  seems  proper  that  this  decision  should  rest  with  the 
nearest  coastal  station. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Revise  Article  XXX  as  follows: 

"  2.  If  the  transmission  to  the  nearest  coastal  station  is  less  fa- 
vorable to  a  rapid  transmission  of  the  radiogram  or  entails  a  higher 
rate  of  charge,  the  radiogram  shall  be  sent  to  a  more  distant  coastal 
station  provided  the  transmission  may  be  effected  without  interfer- 
ing with  the  service  of  other  stations. 

"  The  request  of  a  sender  to  transmit  his  radiogram  to  a  particular 
coastal  station  shall  be  complied  with  under  the  same  reservation." 

REASONS. 
(See  above  under  par.  1.) 

GERMANY. 

Add  paragraphs  3  and  4,  as  follows : 

"  3.  If  the  vessel  for  which  the  telegram  is  intended  is  already  be- 
yond the  radius  of  action  of  the  coastal  station  designated  by  the 
sender  and  can  still  be  reached  by  another  coastal  station  of  the  same 
country,  the  telegram  shall  be  forwarded  to  the  latter  station.  The 
forwarding  shall  be  done  officially  if  it  has  been  made  necessary  by 
any  derangement  of  the  service  of  the  coastal  station;  in  all  other 
cases  it  shall  be  effected  on  condition  of  the  collection  of  the 
charges  relating  thereto  of  the  addressee.  In  the  latter  case  tele- 
grams shall  contain  in  the  preamble  the  designation  not  prepaid 
1 PCV  *  *  *.' " 


'85144—12 11 


82  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

It  frequently  happens  that  a  telegram  is  reported  as  not  delivered 
because  the  vessel  could  not  be  reached  by  the  coastal  station  desig- 
nated by  the  sender,  although  it  would  have  been  possible  to  trans- 
mit such  telegram  to  the  vessel  through  another  coastal  station.  The 
proposition  formulated  above  would  contribute  to  lessen  the  number 
of  telegrams  reported  as  not  delivered. 

"  4.  When  a  coastal  station  receives  a  telegram  intended  for  a 
ship  at  sea  which  does  not  show  the  designation  of  the  service 
"radio,"  it  shall  nevertheless  transmit  such  telegram  to  the  sta- 
tion on  shipboard  without  previously  consulting  the  office  of  origin. 
The  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  shall  then  be  collected  of  the  ad- 
dressee. The  preamble  of  such  telegrams  shall  contain  the  designa- 
tion not  prepaid  l  PCV  coastal  and  shipboard  rates.' ': 

REASONS. 

In  order  that,  in  such  cases,  telegrams  of  this  kind  may  not  be  held 
up  or  reported  as  not  delivered.  The  question  of  knowing  whether 
the  radio  rates  have  been  eventually  paid  twice  will  be  settled  by  the 
simple  verification  of  the  monthly  accounts  or  previously  when  rec- 
lamation was  made  by  the  sender  or  addressee. 

7.  DELIVERY  OF  RADIOGKAMS  AT  THEIR  DESTINATION. 

XXXI. 

When,  for  any  cause  whatever,  a  radiogram  proceed- 
ing from  a  vessel  at  sea  can  not  be  delivered  to  the 
addressee,  a  notice  of  nondelivery  shall  be  issued.  Such 
notice  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  vessel  if  possible. 
When  a  radiogram  received  by  a  shipboard  station  can 
not  be  delivered,  the  station  shall  notify  the  office  of 
origin  by  official  notice.  Such  notice  shall  be  trans- 
mitted, whenever  practicable,  to  the  coastal  station 
through  which  the  radiogram  has  passed  in  transit;  other- 
wise, to  the  nearest  coastal  station. 

.  PROPOSITIONS. 

BELGIUM. 

Revise  this  article  as  follows: 

"  When,  for  any  cause  whatever,  a  radiogram  proceeding  from  a 
vessel  at  sea  can  not  be  delivered  to  the  addressee,  a  notice  of  non- 
delivery shall  be  issued.  Such  notice  shall  be  transmitted  to  the 
coastal  station  which  received  the  original  radiogram.  The  latter, 


83  EADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

after  verifying  the  address,  shall  forward  the  telegram  to  the  ship,  if 
possible,  by  the  intervention,  if  need  be,  of  another  coastal  station. 
When  a  radiogram  etc."  (The  remainder  not  to  be 

changed.) 

REASONS. 

An  error  may  arise  between  the  coastal  station  and  the  office  of 
destination.  Moreover,  it  is  proper  to  make  every  effort  to  have  the 
notice  of  nondelivery  reach  the  vessel  from  wrhich  the  radiogram  was 
sent.  To  this  end  it  is  proposed  to  forward  the  notice  of  nondelivery 
so  far  as  necessary  by  the  ordinary  telegraphy  to  another  coastal 
station  wrhich  might  be  able  to  reach  the  vessel.  This,  by  extension, 
is  an  analogous  measure  to  that  relating  to  notices  of  nondelivery 
originating  in  stations  on  shipboard,  the  latter  being  also  permitted 
to  use  a  coastal  station  other  .than  the  one  from  wyhich  the  original 
radiogram  was  sent. 

FRANCE. 

Make  a  new  paragraph  of  the  latter  part  of  the  present  text  begin- 
ning with  the  words  "  When  a  radiogram  *  *  *." 

REASONS. 

With  the  present  arrangement  this  sentence  would  seem  to  apply 
to  the  two  preceding  ones. '  It  would  be  an  advantage  in  the  interests 
of  accuracy  to  make  a  new  paragraph  beginning  with  the  wrords 
"  When  a  radiogram 

XXXII. 

If  the  ship  for  which  a  radiogram  is  intended  has  not 
signaled  her  presence  to  the  coastal  station  within  the 
period  designated  by  the  sender,  or,  in  the  absence  of  such 
designation,  by  the  morning  of  the  29th  day  following, 
the  coastal  station  shall  notify  the  sender. 

The  latter  shall  have  the  right  to  ask,  by  a  paid  official 
notice,  sent  by  either  telegraph  or  mail  and  addressed  to 
the  coastal  station,  that  his  radiogram  be  held  for  a  further 
period  of  30  days  for  transmission  to  the  vessel,  and  so  on. 
In  the  absence  of  such  request,  the  radiogram  shall  be 
put  aside  as  not  transmissible  at  the  end  of  the  30th  day 
(exclusive  of  the  day  of  posting) . 

If,  however,  the  coastal  station  has  positive  information 
that  the  vessel  has  left  its  radius  of  action  before  it  has 
been  able  to  transmit  to  her  the  radiogram,  such  station 
shall  so  notifv  the  sender. 


84  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

Third  paragraph.  Replace  the  words  "so  notify  the  sender"  by 
the  following: 

"  shall  immediately  so  advise  the  office  of  origin  by  means  of  official 
notice  which  shall  be  transmitted  without  delay  to  the  sender  of  the 
radiogram. 

REASONS. 

With  a  view  to  making  the  meaning  more  clear. 

FRANCE. 

Replace  the  last  paragraph  by  the  following: 

"Nevertheless  if  the  coastal  station  is  certain  that  the  vessel  has 
left  its  radius  of  action  before  it  has  been  able  to  transmit  to  her 
the  radiogram,  such  station  shall  inform  the  office  of  origin  which 
shall  advise  the  sender  that  his  telegram  has  been  annulled.  How- 
ever, the  sender  may%by  means  of  a  paid  service  notice  request  the 
coastal  station  to  transmit  the  radiogram  the  next  time  the  vessel 
shall  pass." 

REASONS. 

The  present  text  does  not  state  definitely  what  shall  be  done  with 
a  radiogram  when  it  has  not  been  possible  to  transmit  it  at  the  time 
the  vessel  passed  within  the  radius  of  action  of  the  coastal  station, 
it  being  understood  that  according  to  the  first  paragraph  of  Article 
XXXII. the  transmission  shall  take  place  within  the  period  desig- 
nated by  the  sender,  or,  in  the  absence  of  such  designation  within 
the  next  30  days.  The  coastal  station  may  therefore  transmit  the 
radiogram  at  the  next  passage  of  the  vessel  within  its  radius  of  action 
even  if  the  addressee  is  no  longer  on  board. 

In  order  to  remove  all  uncertainty  on  this  point,  it  is  proposed 
to  annul  the  telegram  after  the  sending  of  the  notice  informing  the 
office  of  origin  that  it  has  not  been  possible  to  transmit  the  telegram. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

First  paragraph.  Replace  the  words  "  of  the  29th  day  "  by  "  of 
the  8th  day." 

REASONS. 

Experience  has  shown  that  it  is  sufficient  to  hold  a  radiogram  for 
a  week  for  the  purpose  of  determining  whether  it  can  be  transmitted 
to  its  destination  or  not. 

ITALY. 

Add  at  the  end  the  following  words: 

"  *  *  *  and  not  transmit  the  radiogram  even  if  the  vessel  during 
a  subsequent  voyage  shall  pass  within  its  radius  of  action." 


85  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  proposition  is  intended  to  establish  the  fact  that  in  the  case 
considered  under  Article  XXXII  the  radiogram  shall  not  be  trans- 
mitted. Consquently,  the  radio  rates  may  immediately  be  refunded 
to  the  sender  in  accordance  with  the  proposition  referring  to  Article 
XXXII. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

New  Article  XXXII-a  to  be  inserted  in  the  chapter  "  Special  tele- 
grams." 

"  Telegrams  with  answer  prepaid. 

"ARTICLE  XXXII-A. 

"A  voucher  for  reply  issued  by  a  station  on  shipboard  shall  carry 
with  it  the  right  to  send,  within  the  limits  of  its  value,  a  radiogram 
to  any  destination  whatever  from  the  station  on  shipboard  which  has 
issued  the  voucher." 

REASONS. 

This  addition  is  in  connection  with  the  proposition  to  remove 
from  the  list  of  radiograms  not  accepted  (Art.  XXXIII  of  the 
Regulations)  radiograms  with  answer,  prepaid.  The  proposition 
tending  to  limit  the  use  of  a  voucher  for  reply  would  seem  to  be 
desirable  for  the  purpose  of  simplification.  The  proposed  regulation 
although  more  restrictive  than  the  analogous  provision  of  the  tele- 
graph regulations  (Art.  L,  par.  1),  would  seem  to  be  of  a  nature  to 
satisfy  all  requirements  of  the  public. 

EXTRACT    FROM  *THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE   REGULATIONS    MENTIONED    ABOVE. 

L. 

1.  At  the  place  of  destination,  the  delivery  office  delivers  to  the  addressee  a 
voucher  of  a  value  corresponding  to  the  cost  of  a  telegram  of  a  number  of  words 
equal  to  that  given  in  the  supplementary  instruction,  intended  for  the  office 
of  origin  of  the  reply  paid  telegram  and  to  be  sent  by  the  same  route  as  the 
latter.  The  voucher  carries  the  right  of  sending,  within  the  limit  of  its  value, 
a  telegram  to  any  destination  whatever,  from  any  office  of  the  administration 
whose  office  has  issued  the  voucher. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

New  Article  XXXII-b. 

"  Radiograms  to  be  forwarded  by  mail." 

"ARTICLE  XXXII-B. 

"Radiograms  may  be  transmitted  to  vessels  by  being  forwarded 
by  mail,  such  forwarding  to  be  effected  from  a  port  of  call  of  such 
vessels. 

"  The  address  of  such  radiograms  shall  embrace  the  following : 
"  1.  The  designation  '  mail '  followed  by  the  name  of  the  port  at 
which  the  radiogram  shall  be  delivered  to  the  mail. 


86  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

"  2.  Name  and  complete  address  of  the  addressee. 
"3.  Name  of  the  ship. 
"4.  Name  of  the  coastal  station. 

"  Example :  Mail  Buenosaires  Martinez,  14  Pratt  Street,  Valpa- 
raiso, Avon  Lizardradio." 

REASONS. 

The  admission  of  special  radiograms  of  this  kind  is  proposed  as 
a  change  to  be  made  in  Article  XXXIII  of  the  Regulations.  This 
service  would  be  an  extension  of  the  present  practice  consisting  in 
addressing  a  telegram  to  the  port  of  departure  of  a  packet  for  the 
purpose  of  having  it  forwarded  as  a  letter.  The  proposition  is  in- 
tended to  make  it  possible  for  a  letter  addressed  to  a  ship  to  be 
forwarded  by  radio  telegraphy  in  case  there  would  not  be  sufficient 
time  to  reach  the  ship  before  sailing  by  the  ordinary  telegraph. 

8.  SPECIAL  TELEGRAMS. 
XXXIII. 

The  following  radiograms  shall  not  be  accepted  for 
transmission : 

(a)  Radiograms  with  answers  prepaid; 

( b )  Money-order  radiograms ; 

(c)  Radiograms  calling  for  repetition  of  message  (for 
purposes  of  verification)  ; 

(d)  Radiograms  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  re- 
ceipt; 

(e)  Radiograms  to  be  forwarded  (if  addressee  is  not 
found  at  the  address  given)  ; 

(/)  Paid-service  radiograms,  except  in  so  far  as  trans- 
mission over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system  is  con- 
cerned ; 

(g)  Urgent  radiograms,  except  in  so  far  as  transmis- 
sion over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system  is  concerned, 
subject  to  the  application  of  the  provisions  of  the  Inter- 
national Telegraph  Regulations; 

(h)    Radiograms  to  be  delivered  by  express  or  mail. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

(d)  Replace  the  present  text  by  the  following: 

"(d)  Radiograms  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt  by  tele- 
graph or  mail  (except  telegrams  intended  for  ships  at  sea  and  for 
transmission  over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system),". 


87  EADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

In  conformity  with  the  wording  of  Article  LX,  paragraph  7,  of 
the  Telegraph  Regulations,  as  revised  at  Lisbon. 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

LX. 

7.  The  following  are  not  admitted  as  maritime  telegrams : 
(a)  Telegrams  with  prepaid  replies  (except  semaphore  telegrams  destined  for 
ships  at  sea)  ; 

(6)  Telegraph  money  orders; 

(c)  Collated  telegrams; 

(d)  Telegrams  with  telegraphic  or  postal  acknowledgment  of  receipt  (except 
telegrams  destined  for  ships  at  sea  in  regard  to  their  transit  over  the  lines  of 
the  telegraph  system)  ; 

(e)  Telegrams . "  to  follow  "  ; 

(/)  Paid-service  telegrams,  except  as  regards  transmission  over  the  lines  of 
the  telegraph  systems; 

(ff)  Urgent  telegrams,  except  as  regards  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the 
telegraph  system; 

(h)   Telegrams  to  be  delivered  by  express  or  by  post. 

AUSTRIA. 
Cancel  paragraphs  (c)  and  (g). 

REASONS. 

The  Austrian  management  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  admission  of 
radiograms  calling  for  repetition  of  messages  (for  the  purpose  of 
verification)  does  not  entail  any  inconvenience,  and  that  priority 
could  be  given  to  urgent  radiograms  when  a  station  is  called  simul- 
taneously by  several  others,  or  when  there  are  a  number  of  radio- 
grams to  be  transmitted  between  the  same  stations. 

BULGARIA. 

Cancel  (c)  and  add  a  final  paragraph,  as  follows: 
"  However,  telegrams  intended  for  a  station  on  shipboard  may  have 
answer  prepaid  and  call  for  acknowledgement  of  receipt,  but  not  in- 
versely." 

REASONS. 

A  perusal  of  the  provisions  of  Articles  XXVII  and  XXXI  can  not 
fail  to  show  that — since  the'  transmission  of  a  radiogram  must  be  re- 
peated as  many  as  three  times  when  the  signals  are  doubtful,  and, 
further,  that  the  station  on  shipboard  is  bound  to  notify  the  office  of 
origin  in  case  of  the  nondelivery  of  a  radiogram — adequate  reasons 
can  hardly  be  found  for  prohibiting  the  admission  of  radiograms 
calling  for  repetition  of  message,  those  with  answer  prepaid  and 
those  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt.  Moreover,  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  radio  service  is  such  that  in  the  majority  of  cases  repeti- 
tion of  a  part  or  the  whole  of  a  message  is  indispensable,  for  the  rea- 
son that  the  operator  receiving  the  message  can  not  interrupt  the 


88  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

transmission  to  request  the  necessary  repetition  of  doubtful  signals, 
as  can  be  done  in  ordinary  telegraphy.  (See  par.  5,  Art.  XXXVI,  of 
the  International  Telegraph  Regulations.) 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

XXXVI. 

5.  If  the  receiving  clerk  perceives  that  reception  has  become  unintelligible, 
he  interrupts  his  correspondent  and  repeats  the  last  word  understood,  following 
it  by  a  note  of  interrogation.  The  sending  clerk  then  continues  the  transmission 
from  that  word. 

BELGIAN  CONGO. 

Article  XXXIII  of  the  Service  Regulations  annexed  to  the  Con- 
vention excludes  urgent  telegrams  for  transmission  over  maritime 
routes  and  radiograms  to  be  delivered  by  express.  It  would  seem  that 
this  exclusion  should  be  annulled. 

Delivery  by  express,  in  particular,  may  be  indispensable  in  the 
case  of  radiograms  proceeding  from  a  ship  and  intended  for  a 
locality  not  having  telegraph  service.  The  urgency  might  be  made 
optional  by  the  payment  of  the  supplementary  rates  provided  for  by 
the  International  Telegraph  Regulations.  (For  "Express"  see 
translator's  note,  p.  59.) 

SPAIN  (1st). 

Change  the  title  of  section  8  to  the  following: 
"  8.  Special  radiograms." 

REASONS. 

Because  the  telegrams  considered  are  radiograms. 

SPAIN  (2d). 

Change  Article  XXXIII  as  follows : 

"  Urgent  radiograms  shall  be  accepted  on  the  same  conditions  as 
radiograms  of  this  kind. 

"  The  following  radiograms  shall  not  be  accepted  for  transmission : 

"(#)  Radiograms  with  answer  prepaid; 

"  ( & )  Money-order  radiograms ; 

"(tf)  Radiograms  calling  for  repetition  of  message  (for  the  pur- 
pose of  verification) ; 

"(d)  Radiograms  calling  for  acknowledgement  of  receipt; 

"(0)  Radiograms  to  be  forwarded  (if  addressee  is  not  found  at  the 
address  given) ; 

"(/)  Paid-service  radiograms,  except  in  so  far  as  transmission  over 
the  lines  of  the  telegraph  system  is  concerned ; 

"(#)  Radiograms  to  be  delivered  by  express  or  mail." 

REASONS. 

According  to  the  first  paragraph  of  Article  XL VIII  of  the  Inter- 
national Telegraph  Regulations  the  word  "  urgent "  or  "  D  "  must 


89  EADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

be  entered  in  the  telegram  upon  the  payment  of  three  times  the  rate 
of  an  ordinary  telegram,  including  the  designation  "  urgent "  or  "  D." 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

XLVIII. 

1.  The  sender  of  a  private  telegram  may  obtain  priority  of  transinisssion  and 
delivery  at  destination  by  writing  the  instruction  "  Urgent "  or  "  D "  before 
the  address,  and  by  paying  three  times  the  charge  for  an  ordinary  telegram  of 
the  same  length  between  the  same  points. 

There  is  no  difficulty  in  the  case  of  a  radiogram  proceeding  from  a 
ship.  All  the  words,  "  Urgent /"  or  "  D,"  inclusive,  will  be  charged 
at  a  triple  rate,  and  the  number  of  words  stated  in  the  preamble 
shall  continue  to  be  the  same  until  the  radiogram  reaches  its  desti- 
nation. 

But  if  the  telegram  is  addressed  to  a  ship  and  has  the  designation 
"  Urgent  "  or  '"'D,"  it  loses  its  character  of  urgency  from  the  moment 
it  arrives  at  the  coastal  station. 

'  In  such  case  should  the  maritime  rate  be  applied  to  the  designation 
"  Urgent "  or  "  D  "  ?  If  this  designation  can  not  be  transferred  by 
radio  telegraphy,  it  would  seem  that  the  maritime  rate  should  not  be 
collected  for  it,  but  then  the  number  of  words  as  stated  will  be 
charged.  Upon  forwarding  the  radiogram  to  a  ship,  the  coastal 
station  will  have  to  state  as  the  number  of  words  one  less  than  that 
received  by  it  over  the  telegraph  system. 

As  this  would  introduce  an  exception  in  the  general  procedure  of 
transmission,  one  of  the  following  measures  should  be  adopted : 

Apply  the  triple  rate  to  the  whole  of  the  radiogram,  including  the 
designation  "  Urgent "  or  "  D,"  stating  that  the  designation  "  Urgent " 
or  "  D  "  must  be  transmitted  to  the  destination  of  the  radiogram. 

Exclude  the  transmission  of  urgent  radiograms. 

Since  the  sender  is  bound  to  pay  for  the  urgency  of  the  radio- 
gram over  its  entire  route,  it  seems  but  just  to  decide  that  such  radio- 
gram shall  be  accepted. 

If  this  amendment  is  admitted.  Article  XXXIII  should  be  revised 
as  above,  and  Article  XVIII  as  indicated  in  the  proposition  refer- 
ring to  this  article. 

FRANCE. 

1.  Change  the  title  of  section  8  as  follows : 
"  8.  Special  radiograms." 

2.  Modify  the  text  of  Article  XXXIII  as  follows : 
"There  sliall  be  accepted  for  transmission: 

"(#)  Urgent  radiograms  only  for  transmission  over  the  lines  of 
the  telegraph  system  and  subject  to  the  application  of  the  provi- 
sions of  the  International  Telegraph  Regulations; 

"(&)  Radiograms  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt  by  tele- 
graph or  mail  when  they  are  intended  for  ships  at  sea  and  only  for 
transmission  over  fhe  lines  of  the  telegraph  system ; 

"(c.)  Multiple  radiograms; 

u(d)  Radiograms  proceeding  from  ships  and  for  delivery  by  ex- 
press or  mail  within  the  country  in  which  the  corresponding  coastal 
station  is  situated ; 


35144—12 12 


90  EADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVEXTIOX    OF   BERLIN. 

"(e)  Paid  service  notices  relating  to  corrections  in  the  address 
of  radiograms.  Other  classes  of  paid  service  notices  shall  not  be 
accepted,  except  for  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph 
system." 

REASONS. 

1.  It  seems  logical  to  give  this  chapter  the  title  "  Special  radio- 
grams." 

2.  It  would  seem  preferable  to  indicate  the  kinds  of  special  radio- 
grams to  be  accepted. 

3.  Concerning  radiograms  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt, 
the  text  proposed  agrees  with  that  accepted  by  the  Conference  of 
Lisbon. 

4.  There  would  seem  to  be  no  objection  to  admitting  service  tele- 
grams relating  to  corrections  in  addresses.    This  measure  would  re- 
move the  impossibility  now  existing  for  the  sender  to  correct  an  error 
which  he  has  committed  in  the  address  of  his  radiogram. 

5.  It  would  seem  possible  to  admit  radiograms  proceeding  from 
ships  at  sea  for  forwarding  by  mail  or  by  express.    However,  with  a 
view  to  avoiding  difficulties  in  the  accounts,  this  measure  should  be 
limited  to  the  country  in  which  the  corresponding  coastal  station  is 
situated. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Article  XXXIII.    Suppress : 

"(«)  Radiograms  with  answers  prepaid. 

u\c)  Radiograms  calling  for  repetition  of  message  (for  the  pur- 
pose of  verification)." 

(/)  Insert  after: 

"  Paid-service  radiograms  '*  the  words  "  requesting  a  repetition  or 
information." 

(h)   Replace  the  present  text  by  the  following: 

"(A.)  Radiograms  referred  to  under  Article  LVIII,  paragraphs  3 
and  4,  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations  (XPT  and  XPP)." 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

LVIII. 

3.  A  sender  who  does  not  know  the  cost  of  delivery  by  special  messenger  can 
relieve  the  addressee  from  any  pryment,  either  by  paying  the  charge  for  a  tele- 
gram of  five  words  to  the  same  destination  and  by  the  same  route  or  by  paying 
a  fee  of  25  centimes.     He  deposits  as  security  an  amount  fixed  by  the  office  of 
origin  with  a  view  to  eventual  settlement.    The  telegram  then  bears  one  of  the 
instructions  :     "  Express-paid    telegram  " — XPT —    or     "  Express-paid    letter  " 
—XPT — .    This  instruction  is  written  before  the  address  and  is  charged  for. 

4.  The  office  which  receives  a  telegram  with  the  instruc  ion  "Express-paid 
telegraph  "  or  — XPT —  notifies  to  the  office  of  origin  by  paid  service  advice  the 
charge  to  be  collected   for  portenige.     This  advice  takes  the  following  form  : 
M  St.  Paris,  Brussels,  40  (number  of  paid-service  advice),  5  number  of  words, 
434   (number  of  telegram),  16  (day  of  telegram  shown  only  by  the  day  of  the 
mon^h).     Express  fr.  2.50."     These  particulars  are  given  by  prepaid  ordinary 
letter  when  the  supplementary  instruction  is  "  Express-paid  letter  "  or  — XPT — . 
On  receipt  of  these  particulars  the  office  of  origin  effects  a  settlement. 

REASONS. 

This  proposition  is  made  with  a  view  to  admitting  radiograms  with 
answer  prepaid  (the  need  for  which  has  been  made  clear  beyond 


91  RADIO  TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

doubt)  and  other  special  radiograms,  including  paid  service  notices 
relating  to  a  correction,  cancellation,  or  addition ;  the  admittance  of 
such  radiograms  would  certainly  be  an  advantage  both  to  the  public 
and  to  the  radio  service.  On  the  other  hand,  paid  service  notices 
requesting  a  repetition  or  information  would  still  be  excluded  from 
the  radio  service. 

ITALY. 

Add  under  (d)  the  following  words: 

by  telegraph  or  mail  (except  radiograms  intended  for 
stations  on  shipboard  and  for  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the  tele- 
graph system)." 

REASONS. 

The  proposition  serves  to  make  the  provision  of  Article  XXXIII 
agree  with  that  covered  by  Article  LX,  paragraph  7,  of  the  Inter- 
national Telegraph  Regulations  (see  p.  87). 

JAPAN   (1st). 

Change  (d)  as  follows: 

"(6?)  Radiograms  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt  except  so 
far  as  concerns  notification  of  the  date  and  hour  at  which  the  coastal 
station  shall  have  transmitted  the  original  radiogram  addressed  to  a 
vessel  to  the  station  on  shipboard." 

JAPAN  (2d). 

Modify  (/)  as  follows,  and  change  the  letters  of  paragraphs  fol- 
lowing the  present  (/)  : 

"(/)  Radiograms  to  be  forwarded,  except  in  case  the  rates  for  for- 
warding have  been  paid  in  advance  by  the  person  requesting  the 
forwarding  of  the  radiogram,  and  in  the  case  of  the  forwarding  of 
radiograms  proceeding  from  stations  on  shipboard  over  the  lines  of 
the  telegraph  system." 

JAPAN   (3d). 

Cancel  under  the  present  item  (k)  the  words  "  or. by. mail." 

REASONS. 

It  would  be  an  advantage  under  certain  conditions  to  admit  radio- 
grams calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt  and  those  which  are  to 
be  forwarded,  and.  under  all  conditions,  radiograms  to  be  delivered 
by  mail. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Under  (A)  read  as  follows: 

"(A)  Radiograms  to  be  delivered  by  express,  except  those  for  which 
the  charges  for  transportation  have  been  paid  in  advance,  the  man- 
agements to  which  the  offices  of  destination  are  subject  having  made 
known  the  amount  of  such  charges." 


92  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

It  does  not  seem  practicable  to  exclude  radiograms  which  are  to  be 
forwarded  by  mail.  The  forwarding  of  radiograms  by  mail  does 
not  expose  the  managements  concerned  to  any  greater  risk  than  the 
forwarding  of  ordinary  telegrams. 

Radiograms  to  be  forwarded  by  express  could  be  admitted  without 
inconvenience,  provided  they  do  not  involve  subsequent  settlement  of 
accounts  with  the  senders.  See  the  proposition  referring  to  Article 
XXXVI. 

9.  FILES. 
XXXIV. 

The  originals  of  radiograms  and  the  documents  relat- 
ing thereto  retained  by  the  managements  of  the  radio 
service  or  by  private  enterprises  shall  be  kept  for  a  period 
of  at  least  12  months  beginning  with  the  month  following 
that  of  the  posting  of  the  radiogram,  with  all  the  neces- 
sary precautions  as  regards  secrecy. 

Such  originals  and  documents  shall,  as  far  as  practica- 
ble, be  sent  at  least  once  a  month  by  the  shipboard  sta- 
tions to  the  management  of  the  radio  service  to  which 
they  are  subject. 

10.  REBATES  AND  REIMBTJBSEMENTS. 
XXXV. 

1.  With  regard  to  rebates  and  reimbursements,  the 
provisions  of  the  International  Telegraph  Regulations 
shall  be  applicable,  taking  into  account  the  restrictions 
specified  in  Article  XXXIII  of  the  present  Regulations 
and  subject  to  the  following  reservations: 

The  time  employed  in  the  transmission  of  radiograms 
and  the  time  that  radiograms  remain  in  a  coastal  station 
or  station  on  shipboard  shall  not  be  counted  as  delays  as 
regards  rebates  or  reimbursements. 

Reimbursements  shall  be  borne  by  the  different  man- 
agements of  the  radio  service  or  private  enterprises  which 


93  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

have  taken  part  in  the  transmission  of  the  radiogram, 
each  management  or  private  enterprise  relinquishing  its 
share  of  the  rate.  Radiograms  to  which  articles  7  and  8 
of  the  Convention  of  St.  Petersburg  (see  p.  12)  are  ap- 
plicable shall  remain  subject,  however,  to  the  provisions 
of  the  International  Telegraph  Regulations,  except  when 
the  acceptance  of  such  telegrams  is  the  result  of  an  error 
made  by  the  telegraph  service. 

2.  When  the  acknowledgment  of  receipt  of  a  radio- 
gram has  not  reached  the  station  which  has  transmitted 
the  telegram,  the  charges  shall  be  refunded  only  if  the 
fact  has  been  established  that  the  radiogram  is  entitled 
to  reimbursement. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

BELGIUM. 

Add  after  the  second  division  of  the  first  paragraph  the  following 
provisions : 

•  "The  maritime  rate  for  radiograms  intended. for  ships  at  sea,  but 
which  have  not  been  transmitted  for  the  reason  that  the  station  on 
shipboard  had  passed  beyond  the  radius  of  action  of  the  coastal 
station  designated  shall  be  refunded  officially  by  the  management 
which  collected  it. 

"If  the  transmission  has  not  been  effected  on  account  of  a  fault 
chargeable  to  an  irregularity  in  the  radio  service,  the  management 
of  origin  shall  refund  in  addition  the  telegraph  rate.  The  reim- 
bursement of  the  latter  rate  shall  be  instigated  officially  by  the 
management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject." 

REASONS. 

When  the  radiogram  has  not  been  transmitted  to  the  vessel  it  is 
reasonable  to  reimburse  the  sender  with  the  maritime  rate.  It  not 
having  been  possible  to  credit  this  rate  to  the  coastal  station  or  the 
station  on  shipboard,  the  office  of  origin  should  not  keep  it. 

Moreover,  when  the  transmission  has  failed  in  consequence  of  a 
technical  defect  or  through  the  fault  of  the  officer  in  charge  of  the 
coastal  station,  it  likewise  seems  reasonable  to  refund  the  entire  rate 
for  the  radiogram  without  waiting  for  claim  to  be  made  by  the 
sender. 

SPAIN. 

Paragraph  1.  second  division,  to  read  as  follows: 
"*     *     *     reimbursements,  if  the  radiogram  is  to  be  transmitted  to 
a  vessel. 

"When  the  radiogram  emanates  from  a  ship  the  time,  so  far  as 
reimbursement  is  concerned,  shall  be  counted  from  the  hour  when 
the  coastal  station  received  it  from  the  station  on  shipboard." 


94  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

If  the  radiogram  is  to  be  transmitted  from  the  coastal  station  to 
the  ship,  there  is  no  difficulty;  neither  the  coastal  station  nor  the 
station  on  shipboard  will  always  be  in  a  position  to  correspond. 

But  if  the  radiogram  proceeds  from  a  ship,  as  soon  as  it  is  re 
ceived  by  the  coastal  station,  inasmuch  as  the  latter  is  also  a  tele- 
graph office  or  at  least  is  generally  connected  with  the  telegraph 
office  by  special  wire,  it  would  seem  that  the  hour  of  the  posting  of 
the  radiogram — that  is  to  say,  the  hour  when  it  was  received  by  the 
coastal  station  in  conformity  with  Article  X,  paragraph  2,  second 
division,  of  the  Regulations — should  .alwavs  be  the  hour  of  posting 
to  all  intents  and  purposes,  even  for  the  reimbursement  of  rates. 

The  radiogram  should  be  transmitted  to  the  telegraph  system 
without  delay,  as  this  retransmission  is  entirely  independent  of  radio 
telegraphy. 

The  radiogram  is  subject  to  the  same  conditions  as  a  telegram 
posted  at  an  office  of  origin  or,  if  desired,  as  a  telegram  received  in 
transit  by  an  intermediate  office. 

These  considerations  are  emphasized  by  Article  V  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  Berlin,  which  states :  "  Each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties 
undertakes  to  connect  the  coastal  stations  to  the  telegraph  system 
by  special  wires  or.  at  least,  to  take  other  measures  which  will  insure 
a  rapid  exchange  between  the  coastal  stations  and  the  telegraph 
system." 

That  is  to  say.  that  even  when  there  are  no  special  wires  connecting 
the  coastal  stations  to  the  telegraph  system,  the  communication  be- 
tween them  should  be  rapid.  If  the  coastal  station  is  connected  with 
the  telegraph  system  it  would  be  all  the  more  unjustifiable  for  the 
.radiogram  to  remain  longer  than  necessary  in  the  coastal  station. 

GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Paragraph  1.  Add  the  following  new  division : 

"  If  the  coastal  station  shall  inform  the  office  of  origin  that  a 
radiogram  can  not  be  transmitted  to  the  vessel  to  which  it  is  ad- 
dressed, the  latter  having  passed  beyond  the  radius  of  action  of  such 
station,  the  management  of  the  country  of  origin  shall  officially  insti- 
gate reimbursement  to  the  sender  of  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates, 
which,  in  this  case,  shall  not  enter  into  the  accounts  provided  for 
by  Article  XXXV-I." 

REASONS. 

It  is  equitable  to  refund  the  rates  referring  to  a  service  which  has 
not  been  effected,  and  it  would  seem  desirable,  with  a  view  to  avoid- 
ing unnecessary  work,  to  take  the  measures  necessary  for  the  reim- 
bursemeVit  to  be  made  officially  so  that  these  rates  shall  not  enter  into 
the  accounts. 

This  proposition  is  in  harmony  with  the  practice  already  observed 
by  certain  managements. 

,     JAPAN. 

Paragraph  1.  Add  a  new  division,  as  follows,  to  the  paragraph 
regulating  the  reservations: 

"  In  the  case  of  radiograms  addressed  to  a  ship,  the  rates  for  the 
transmission  by  radio  telegraphy  which  has  not  been  effected  shall 
be  refunded." 


95  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

The  provisions  of  the  International  Telegraph  Regulations  are 
applicable  so  far  as  reimbursements  are  concerned.  But  since  there 
are  no  provisions  clearly  covering  the  case  in  question  it  would  seem 
advantageous  to  add  this  new  division. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Paragraph  1.  Insert  between  the  first  and  second  divisions  the 
following  : 

"  The  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  for  every  radiogram  which  it  has 
not  been  possible  for  the  coastal  station  to  transmit,  the  station  on 
shipboard  having  passed  beyond  its  radius  of  action,  shall  be  re- 
funded officially  as  soon  as  the  service  notice  reporting  the  circum- 
stance under  consideration  shall  have  been  received  by  the  office,  of 
origin." 

REASONS. 

The  proposed  addition  is  based  upon  considerations  of  fairness 
and  equity  and  needs  no  explanation. 

GERMANY. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  as  follows : 

"  3.  The  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  for  telegrams  transmitted  to 
coastal  stations  with  a  view  to  their  being  forwarded  to  ships  at  sea 
shall  be  refunded  officially  to  the  sender  after  receipt  of  the  service 
notice  provided  for  in  Article  XXXII,  third  paragraph,  if  the  re- 
transmission by  radiotelegraphy  has  not  been  effected  for  the  reason 
that  the  vessel  has  passed  beyond  the  radius  of  action  of  the  coastal 
station.  The  rates  applicable  to  transmission  over  the  telegraph 
system,  however,  shall  not  be  refunded." 

REASONS. 

It  would  seem  equitable  in  such  cases  to  refund  officially  the 
coastal  and  shipboard  rates. 

ITALY. 

Add  a  new  paragraph  3,  as  follows: 

"  3.  Reimbursement  shall  be  made  of  the  coastal  and  shipboard 
rates  for  radiograms  intended  for  ships  in  case  it  has  not  been  possi- 
ble to  effect  their  transmission. 

"  In  the  case  designated  by  the  last  paragraph  of  Article  XXXII 
the  reimbursement  shall  be  made  when  the  service  notice  reporting 
failure  to  effect  the  transmission  of  the  radiogram  shall  be  received." 

REASONS. 

The  addition  seems  necessary  in  order  to  fix  exactly  the  cases  call- 
ing for  reimbursement  of  radio  rates  and  the  time  for  making  such 
reimbursement. 


96  KADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

11.  ACCOUNTS  AND  PAYMENTS  OF  CHANGES. 
XXXVI. 

1.  The  coastal  and  shipboard  charges  shall  not  enter 
into  the  accounts  provided  for  by  the  International  Tele- 
graph Regulations. 

The  accounts  regarding  such  charges  shall  be  liqui- 
dated by  the  managements  of  the  radio  service  of  the 
countries  concerned.  They  shall  be  drawn  up  by  the 
radio  telegraph  management  to  which  the  coastal  sta- 
tions are  subject,  and  communicated  by  them  to  the 
radio  telegraph  managements  concerned. 

2.  For  transmission  over  the  lines  of  the  telegraph 
system  radiograms  shall  be  treated,  so  far  as  the  payment 
of  rates  is  concerned,  in  conformity  with  the  International 
Telegraph  Regulations . 

3.  For  radiograms  proceeding  from  ships,  the  radio 
management  to  which  the  shipboard  station  is  subject 
shall  be  charged  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the 
coastal  station  is  subject  with  the  coastal  and  ordinary 
telegraph  rates  charged  on  board  of  vessels. 

For  radiograms  intended  for  ships,  the  radio  manage- 
ment which  has  collected  the  fees  shall  be  charged 
directly  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal 
station  is  subject  with  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates. 
The  latter  shall  credit  the  radio  management  to  which  the 
vessel  is  subject  with  the  shipboard  rate. 

In  case  the  radio  management  which  has  collected  the 
charges  is  the  same,  however,  as  the  one  to  wrhich  the 
shipboard  station  is  subject,  the  shipboard  rate  shall  not 
be  charged  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal 
station  is  subject. 

4.  The  month! v  accounts  serving  as  a  basis  for  the 
special  accounts  of  radiograms  shall  be  made  out  for  each 
radiogram  separately,  with  all  the  necessary  data,  within 
a  period  of  six  months  from  the  month  to  which  they 
refer. 


97  RADIO   TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

5.  The  Governments  reserve  the  right  to  enter  into 
special  agreements  among  themselves  and  with  private 
enterprises  (parties  operating  radio  stations,  shipping 
companies,  etc.)  with  a  view  of  adopting  other  pro- 
visions with  regard  to  accounts. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 
Paragraph  1.     Keplace  the  word  "Governments"  by  "countries." 

REASONS. 

The  word  "  countries "  seems  preferable  to  "  Governments." 

GERMANY. 

Add  to  paragraph  3  the  following: 

"  When  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  for  telegrams  intended  for 
ships  have  been  collected  of  the  addressee  (Art.  XIV,  3d  par.,  new. 
and  Art.  XXX.  par.  4.  new),  the  management  to  which  the  ship 
is  subject  shall  credit  the  management  to  which  the  coastal  station 
is  subject  with  the  coastal  rate." 

REASONS. 

As  a  result  of  the  insertion  of  a  third  paragraph  under  Article 
XIV  and  of  a  fourth  paragraph  under  Article  XXX. 

BELGIUM. 

Paragraph  3.  Modify  as  follows  the  wording  of  the  second  and 
third  divisions  of  this  paragraph: 

"  For  radiograms  intended  for  ships,  the  radio  management  which 
has  collected  the  fees  shall  be  charged  directly  with  the  coastal  and 
shipboard  rates  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station 
is  subject.  The  latter  shall  credit  the  radio  management  to  which  the 
vessel  is  subject  with  the  shipboard  rate. 

"  In  case  the  radio  management  which  has  collected  the  charges  is 
the  same,  however,  as  the  one  to  which  the  shipboard  station  is  sub- 
ject, this  management  shall  be  charged  simply  with  the  coastal  rate." 

REASONS. 
A  question  of  wording. 

FRANCE. 

Keplace  paragraph  3'  by  the  following : 

"3.  For  radiograms  and  paid-service  notices  proceeding  from 
ships,  tlie  radio  management  to  which  the  shipboard  station  is  sub- 
ject shall  be  charged  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal 
station  is  subject  with  the  coastal  and  ordinary  telegraph  rates 
charged  on  shipboard. 


35144—12 13 


98  RADIO  TELEGRAPH  CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

"  Intermediate  shipboard  stations  which  are  entitled  to  a  transit 
rate  for  radiograms  proceeding  from  other  shipboard  stations  shall 
be  credited  with  this  rate  by  the  vessel  of  origin. 

"For  radiograms  and  paid-service  notices  intended  for -ships,  the 
radio  management  which  has  collected  the  rates  shall  be  charged 
directly  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  sub- 
ject with  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates.  The  latter  shall  credit  the 
managements  to  which  the  vessels  concerned  are  subject  with  the 
shipboard  rates,  and,  if  there  is  occasion,  with  the  transit  rates." 

REASONS. 

The  changes  proposed  are  intended  to  fix  the  accountability  for 
paid-service  notices  and  rates  of  transit  due  to  stations  on  shipboard 
which  have  participated  in  the  transmission  of  radiograms. 

For  paid-service  notices  it  would  seem  proper  for  the  shipboard 
and  coastal  stations  to  retain  their  respective  rates.  Moreover,  in 
conformity  with  the  provisions  of  the  International  Telegraph  'Reg- 
ulations, the  country  of  the  coastal  station  which  has  received  a 
service  radiogram  from  a  ship  would  retain  the  ordinary  telegraph 
rate;  for  service  telegrams  intended  for  ships  the  country  of  origin 
would  retain  the  ordinary  telegraph  rate  and  would  be  indebted  to 
the  coastal  station  and  the  station  on  shipboard  for  the  rates  accru- 
ing to  them. 

Concerning  rates  of  transit  to  which  stations  on  shipboard  which 
have  participated  in  the  retransmission  of  the  radiograms  would  be 
entitled,  it  seems  that  for  radiograms  proceeding  from  ships  the  liqui- 
dation of  the  rates  should  be  effected  between  the  shipboard  stations 
concerned,  for  in  this  case  it  is  the  shipboard  station  of  origin  which 
takes  charge  of  the  transit  rate.  For  radiograms  intended  for  ship- 
board stations  liquidation  should  be  effected  by  the  management  of 
the  country  to  which  the  coastal  station  belongs,  the  transit  rate 
being  borne  by  this  management. 

Finally,  it  is  proposed  to  suppress  the  last  division  of  paragraph  3 
in  order  not  to  multiply  exceptions. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Change  paragraph  3  as  follows: 

"  3.  For  radiograms  proceeding  from  ships  the  radio  management 
to  which  the  shipboard  station  of  origin  is  subject  shall  be  charged 
by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject  with 
the  coastal  and  ordinary  telegraph  rates,  the  total  rates  collected  for 
answers  prepaid,  the  coastal  and  telegraph  rates  collected  for  repeti- 
tion of  message  (for  purposes  of  verification),  the  rates  for  delivery 
by  express  or  mail,  and  those  for  extra  copies  (TM).  The  radio 
management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject  shall  directly 
credit  the  radio  management  to  which  the  office  of  destination  is  sub- 
ject with  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  relating  to  answers  prepaid; 
in  the  case  of  telegraph  rates  and  rates  relating  to  delivery  by  express 
or  mail  and  to  extra  copies,  the  procedure  shall  conform  to  the  pro- 
visions of  the  International  Telegraph  Regulations,  the  coastal  sta- 
tion being  considered  in  this  connection  as  a  telegraph  office  of  origin. 
However,  where  the  radio  management  to  which  the  office  of  destina- 


99  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION  OF  BERLIN. 

tipn  is  subject  is  the  same  as  the  one  to  which  the  shipboard  station  is 
subject,  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  collected  for  answers  prepaid 
shall  not  enter  into  the  accounts  drawn  up  by  the  radio  management 
to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject. 

"  For  radiograms  intended  for  a  country  lying  beyond  the  country 
to  which  the  coastal  station  belongs,  the  telegraph  charges  to  be  paid 
in  conformity  with  the  provisions  stated  above  shall  comprise  those 
which  result  either  from  the  application  of  the  rates  given  in  Tables 
A  and  B  annexed  to  the  International  Telegraph  Eegulations  or  the 
changes  in  such  rates  made  by  virtue  of  a  special  arrangement  con- 
cluded between  various  radio  managements  of  adjacent  countries  and 
published  by  such  managements,  but  not  the  optional  rates  which  may 
be  collected  in  accordance  with  the  special  provisions  of  Article 
XXIII,  paragraph  1,  and  XXVIL  paragraph  1,  of  the  Telegraph 
Regulations. 

"For  radiograms  intended  for  ships  the  radio  management  to 
which  the  office  of  origin  is  subject  shall  be  charged  directly  by  the 
radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject  with  the 
coastal  and  shipboard  rates,  including  the  coastal  and  shipboard 
rates  collected  for  answers  prepaid.  The  radio  management  to  which 
the  station  is  subject  shall  credit  the  radio  management  to  which 
the  shipboard  station  of  destination  is  subject  with  the  shipboard 
rate,  the  total  rate  collected  for  aftswers  prepaid,  the  shipboard  rate 
relative  to  repetitions  (for  purposes  of  verification),  and  also  the 
rate  collected  for  extra  copies  and  for  delivery  by  mail. 

"  In  case  the  radio  management  to  which  the  office  of  origin  is  sub- 
ject is  the  same,  however,  as  the  one  to  which  the  shipboard  station 
of  destination  is  subject,  the  shipboard  rate  and  the  coastal  and  the 
shipboard  rates  collected  for  answers  prepaid  shall  not  be  charged 
by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject. 

"  Paid-service  notices  and  answers  prepaid  shall  be  treated  in  the 
radio  accounts  in  all  respects  the  same  as  other  radiograms. 

REASONS. 

The  changes  are  proposed  for  the  following  reasons: 
1.  With  a  view  to  making  provisions  applicable  to  the  settlement 
of  accounts  concerning  special  radiograms  and  the  accessory  services 
which  it  is  proposed  to  admit  under  Article  XXXIII. 

The  propositions  relative  to  charging  and  crediting  the  radio 
managements  to  which  the  shipboard  station  is  subject  with  the 
rates  applicable  to  "  paid-service  notices  "  and  to  the  accessory  serv- 
ices (repetition,  delivery  by  mail,  delivery  by  express,  the  mak- 
ing of  extra  copies  TM)  are  to  be  recommended  for  the  reason 
that  the  reciprocity  existing  in  the  telegraph  service  between  the 
different  States  is  lacking  in  the  radio  service  between  the  stations 
on  shipboard  and  the  offices  on  shore..  This  proposition  is  to  be 
recommended,  furthermore,  in  consideration  of  the  fact  that  (1) 
u  paid-service  notices."  which  it  is  proposed  to  admit,  are  not  of  the 
number  of  those  which  involve  a  reimbursement  of  charges,  and  are 
consequently  excluded  from  the  telegraph  accounts,  and  (2)  that 
since  the  accounts  are  made  out  for  each  radiogram  separately 
(Art.  XXXVI,  par.  4.  of  the  Regulations),  a  statement  of  the  acces- 
sory rates  would  not  entail  any  appreciable  increase  in  the  work. 


100  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONTENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

2.  With  a  view  to  making  it  clearly  apparent  that  in  case  of  the 
forwarding  of  radiograms  the  coastal  station  shall  liquidate  the  ac- 
counts relating  thereto  with  the  last  ship  and  not  with  a  ship  which 
has  acted  as  intermediary. 

The  object  of  the  proposition  contained  in  the  second  division  of 
paragraph  3  is  to  provide  that  the  rate  to  be  entered  in  the  radio- 
accounts  shall  be  the  rate  per  word  pure  and  simple  expressed  in 
francs  and  not  the  different  rates  which  the  radio  managements  have 
the  right  to  collect  as  the  result  of  monetary  considerations  or  other 
exigencies  of  the  country  of  origin.  These  optional  rates  are,  more- 
over, excluded  from  the  telegraph  accounts  by  virtue  of  the  provisions 
of  Article  XXVII,  paragraph  2,  and  LXXVI,  paragraph  1,  of  the 
Regulations.  The  exclusion  of  such  rates  from  the  radio  accounts 
would  have  for  effect  a  notieable  simplication  of  these  accounts. 

ITALY  (1st). 

Modify  the  first  phrase  of  the  third  paragraph  as  follows : 
"  3.  For  radiograms  intended  for  ships  of  the  Navy,  commercial 
vessels,  and  yachts,  the  radio  management     *     *     *." 

REASONS. 

(See  the  proposition  referring  to  Art.  XII.) 

ITALY  (2d). 

In  paragraph  3.  replace  the  words  "the  radio  management  to 
which  the  shipboard  station  is  subject "  by  the  words : 

"The  radio  management  or  company  to  which  the  shipboard  sta- 
tion is  subject." 

ITALY  (3d). 

Same  article,  fifth  division  (same  paragraph),  last  sentence,  re- 
place the  words  "  the  radio  management  to  which  the  vessel  is  sub- 
ject "  by  the  words : 

"  The  radio  management  or  company  to  which  the  shipboard  sta- 
tion is  subject." 

ITALY   (4th). 

Same  article,  replace  the  text  of  the  sixth  division  (same  para- 
graph) by  a  new  text,  as  follows: 

"  For  radiograms  intended  for  ships  subject  to  radio  managements 
which  have  not  adhered  to  the  Convention  and  which  have  not  made 
the  declaration  provided  for  in  Article  IX,  the  coastal  and  shipboard 
rates  shall  be  charged  to  the  first  radio  management  which  has  re- 
ceived the  radiogram  in  transit." 

ITALY   (5th). 

If  the  proposition  tending  to  introduce  the  Article  Xl-a  is 
adopted  it  will  be  necessary  to  add  to  the  seventh  line  of  paragraph  3, 
after  the  words  "  shipboard  rate,"  the  words  "  and  the  charges  for 
night  service." 


101  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

Consequently  paragraph  3  of  Article  XXXVI  should  read  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  3.  For  radiograms  proceeding  from  ships  the  radio  management 
or  the  company  which  works  the  station  on  shipboard  shall  be  charged 
by  that  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject  with  the  coastal  and 
ordinary  telegraph  rates  charged  on  board  of  vessels. 

"  For  radiograms  intended  for  ships  the  radio  management  which 
has  collected  the  fees  shall  be  charged  directly  by  the  radio  manage- 
ment to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject  with  the  coastal  and 
shipboard  rates  and  the  charges  for  night  service.  The  latter  shall 
credit  the  radio  management  or  company  which  works  the  station  on 
shipboard  with  the  shipboard  rate. 

"  For  radiograms  intended  for  ships  originating  with  manage- 
ments which  have  not  adhered  to  the  Convention  and  have  not  made 
the  declaration  provided  for  in  Article  IX,  the  first  adhering  radio 
management  which  received  the  radiograms  in  transit  shall  be 
charged  with  the  coastal  and  shipboard  rates." 

REASONS. 

The  proposition  is  intended  to  introduce  certain  modifications  in 
the  settlement  of  accounts  for  radiograms  intended  for  ships  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  system  followed  by  certain  managements.  In 
effect  it  would  be  a  question  of  having  the  payment  of  shipboard 
rates  relating  to  the  radiograms  referred  to  above  rest  solely  with 
the  company  which  works  the  stations  on  shipboard  and  not  with 
all  the  radio  managements  of  the  State  under  whose  flag  the  vessels 
sail. 

The  amendment  to  the  sixth  division  is  intended  to  fill  a  defi- 
ciency in  the  Service  Regulations,  since  no  provision  is  made  therein 
with  a  view  to  guaranteeing  to  the  radio  managements  concerned 
the  payment  of  the  radio  coastal  and  shipboard  rates  for  messages 
originating  in  countries  where  there  is  no  telegraph  service  under 
government  control,  such,  for  example,  as  North  America.  In  such 
countries  the  private  telegraph  companies  accept  radiograms  intended 
for  ships  which  are  in  Europe  and,  consequently,  such  messages 
should  be  transmitted  by  the  European  coastal  stations  to  the  ship- 
board station  designated. 

NETHERLANDS  (1st). 

Paragraph  3.  Add  to  the  first  division  the  following : 
"The  latter  rates  shall  be  augmented  by  the  accessory  rates,  if 
there  are  any." 

NETHERLANDS  (2d). 

Paragraph  3.  Enter  as  a  fourth  division : 

"  Radiograms  which  have  not  been  transmitted,  the  shipboard  sta- 
tion of  destination  being  beyond  range  (Art.  XXXV,  par.  1,  second 
division),  shall  not  be  paid 'for." 

(See  the  complement  to  this  proposition  under  par.  4.) 

REASONS. 

The  changes  in  this  article  result  from  the  additions  proposed  in 
relation  to  Articles  XXXIII  and  XXXV  of  the  Service  Regulations. 


102  KADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

ITALY. 

Paragraph  4.  First  line,  replace  the  word  "monthly"  by  the  word 
"  quarterly." 

To  the  last  line  add  before  the  word  "  monthly  "  the  word  "  last." 

REASONS. 

(See  above  under  par.  3.) 

In  regard  to  a  quarterly  instead  of  a  monthly  rendering  of  ac- 
counts, the  proposition  is  intended  to  simplify  this  work  in  view  of 
the  small  number  of  radiograms  exchanged  each  month. 

NETHEBLANDS. 

Paragraph  4.  Add  the  following : 

"The  radiograms  referred  to  in  paragraph  3,  fourth  division,  of 
this  article,  shall  appear  in  the  accounts  for  record  solely." 

REASONS. 
(See  above  under  par.  3.) 

ITALY. 

Introduce  a  new  Article  XXXVI-a  to  read  as  follows : 
"ARTICLE  XXXVI-a. 

"The  rates  for  radiograms  transmitted  to  a  coastal  station  by  a 
station  on  shipboard  which  has  received  them  from  another  vessel 
shall  be  charged  to  the  station  on  shipboard  with  which  the  radio- 
grams originated." 

,  REASONS. 

The  proposition  is  intended  to  regulate  the  settlement  of  accounts 
for  radiograms  which  have  been  forwarded  as  provided  for  in  the 
proposition  relating  to  the  addition  of  the  Article  XLI-a. 

12,  INTERNATIONAL  BUKEAU. 
XXXVII. 

The  International  Bureau  of  Telegraphs  shall  be  in- 
trusted with  the  duties  specified  in  article  13  of  the  Con- 
vention, subject  to  the  consent  of  the  Government  of  the 
Swiss  Federation  and  the  approval  of  the  Telegraph 
Union. 

The  additional  expenses  resulting  from  the  work  of  the 
International  Bureau  so  far  as  radio  telegraphy  is  con- 


103  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

cerned  shall  not  exceed  40,000  francs  a  year,  exclusive  of 
the  special  expenses  arising  from  the.  convening  of  the 
International  Conference. 

These  expenses  shall  form  the  subject  of  a  special  ac- 
count, and  the  provisions  of  the  International  Telegraph 
Eegulations  shall  be  applicable  to  them.  Before  the  con- 
vening of  the  next  Conference,  however,  each  contracting 
Government  shall  notify  the  International  Bureau  of  the 
class  in  which  it  desires  to  be  entered. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY   (1st). 

First  division  to  read: 

"  The  International  Bureau  of  the  Telegraph  Union  shall  be  in- 
trusted with  the  duties  specified  in  Article  XIII  of  the  Convention." 

REASONS. 

In  conformity  with  the  wording  of  Article  LXXXI,  paragraph  1, 
of  the  Telegraph  Regulations,  as  revised  at  Lisbon,  and  in  considera- 
tion of  the  actual  conditions. 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,  MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

LXXXI. 

1.  The  central  office  provided  for  by  article  14  of  the  Convention  receives  the 
title  of  International  Bureau  of  the  Telegraph  Union. 

.       GERMANY  (2d). 

Replace  the  last  phrase  of  the  third  division  by  the  following : 

"In  conformity  with  the  provisions  of  Article  LXXXII,  para- 
graph 3,  of  the  "Service  Regulations  annexed  to  the  International 
Telegraph  Convention,  the  managements  of  the  Contracting  Govern- 
ments shall,  so  far  as  contribution  to  the  expenses  is  concerned,  be 
divided  into  six  classes,  as  follows: 

"  First  class :  South  African  Union,  Germany  (Argentine  Re- 
public), Australia,  Austria,  France,  Great  Britain,  Hungary.  Brit- 
ish Indies  (Italy),  Japan,  Russia,  Turkey. 

"  Second  class :  Spain. 

"Third  class:  Belgium  (Chile),  Dutch  Indies,  Norway,  Nether- 
lands, Roumania,  and  Sweden. 

"Fourth  class:  Denmark.  Mexico,  New  Zealand    (Uruguay). 

"  Fifth  class :  Bulgaria  and  Tunis.  - 

"  Sixth  class :  Brazil,  Colony  of  Curagao,  Morocco,  Monaco,  Persia, 
and  Portugal." 


104  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

In' conformity  with  the  wording  of  Article  LXXXII,  paragraph 
3,  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations,  as  revised  at  London. 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE   REGULATIONS,   MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

LXXXII. 

3.  For  the  division  of  the  expenses,  the  contracting  or  adhering  States  are 
divided  into  six  clashes,  each  contributing  in  the  proportion  of  a  certain  number 
of  units,  i  e. : 

First  class 25  units. 

Second    class 20  units. 

Third  class : 15  units. 

Fourth   class 10  units. 

Fifth    class 5  units. 

Sixth    class ,. 3  units. 

XXXVIII. 

The  management  of  the  radio  service  of  the  different 
countries  shall  forward  to  the  International  Bureau  a 
table  in  conformity  with  the  annexed  blank,  containing 
the  data  enumerated  in  said  table  for  stations  such  as  re- 
ferred to  in  Article  IV  of  the  Eegulations.  Changes 
radio  managements  to  the  International  Bureau  between 
the  first  and  tenth  day  of  each  month.  With  the  aid  of 
such  data  the  International  Bureau  shall  draw  up  a  list 
which  it  shall  keep  up  to  date.  The  list  and  the  supple- 
ments thereto  shall  be  printed  -and  distributed  to  the 
radio  managements  of  the  countries  concerned;  they  may 
also  be  sold  to  the  public  at  the  cost  price. 

The  International  Bureau  shall  see  to  it  that  the  same 
call  letters  for  several  radio  stations  shall  not  be  adopted. 


105 


RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 


[Supplement  to  Art.  XXXVIII  of  the  Regulations.] 
Radio  management  of 

Descriptive  list  of  radio  stations. 

(a)    COASTAL   STATIONS. 


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u 

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£ 

J. 

H«H 

§§ 

••3        lUl* 

a 

Name. 

Nationality. 

Geographical  locatioc 

Call  letters. 

Normal  range. 

Radio  system. 

Class  ofj  receiving  a 
tus  (recording,  ac 
or  other  apparatus) 

,2 

SB 

co^ 

at! 

tuD  C 
§S     • 
«8* 

'~~l    03    Q} 

&  p*  6 

1" 

Nature  of  service  fur 
by  station. 

Hours  during  which 
is  open  (indicatin 
ridian  to  which  tt 
fer). 

Coastal  rate,  stating 
mum  rate. 

! 

(b)    SHIPBOARD    STATIONS. 


Name. 


•0*3 


n 


III 


(1)  War  vessels. 


(2)  M 


t  vessels. 


PROPOSITIONS. 

GERMANY. 

First  division.  Replace  the  words  "  a  list  which  it  shall  keep  up 
to  date  "  by  "  the  list  provided  for  under  Article  IV." 

Further  substitute  the  words  "  and  the  supplements  thereto  shall 
be  printed  and  distributed  "  for  the  words  "  shall  be  distributed  " 
and  replace  the  words  "  they  may  also  be  sold  "  by  the  words  "  this 
document  with  the  supplements  relating  thereto  may  also  be  sold." 

REASONS. 

Changes  resulting  from  the  proposition  submitted  under  Article 
IV.  paragraph  2. 


35144—12 14 


106  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

*  ik 

13.  MISCELLANEOUS  PEOVISIONS. 
XXXIX. 

The  managements  of  the  radio  service  shall  give  to 
agencies  of  maritime  information  such  data  regarding 
losses  and  casualties  at  sea  or  other  information  of  general 
interest  to  navigation  as  the  coastal  stations  may  properly 
report. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Add  the  following  paragraph : 

"The  managements  of  the  radio  service  shall  take  the  necessary 
measures  to  have  their  coastal  stations  receive  the  meteorological 
telegrams  containing  observations  concerning  the  region  covered 
by  such  stations.  These  telegrams,  which  shall  not  be  more  than 
20  words  in  length,  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  vessels  upon  request 
of  the  latter.  The  rates  for  such  meteorological  radiograms  shall  be 
charged  to  the  accounts  of  the  vessels  of  destination. 

"The  coastal  stations  shall,  however,  be  bound  to  communicate, 
officially  and  free  of  charge  to  all  vessels  entering  into  communica- 
tion with  them,  all  storm  warnings  of  which  they  have  official 
knowledge." 

REASONS. 

In  view  of  the  interest  which  the  communication  of  meteorological 
telegrams  may  have  for  ships,  it  would  be  desirable  for  the  radio 
managements  to  take  the  necessary  measures  to  put  their  coastal  sta- 
tions in  the  position  of  being  able  to  furnish  data  on  this  subject  to 
such  vessels  as  request  it. 

It  would  also  be  desirable,  from  a  humanitarian  point  of  view,  to 
impose  upon  coastal  stations  an  obligation  to  communicate,  officially 
and  free  of  charge  to  all  vessels  entering  into  communication  with 
them,  all  storm  warnings  (typhoons,  cyclones,  tornadoes,  etc.)  of 
which  they  have  knowledge. 

JAPAN. 

Add  a  new  division  as  follows : 

"  They  shall  likewise  facilitate,  so  far  as  possible,  the  communica- 
tion by  their  coastal  stations  of  time  signals  and  storm  warnings  to 
stations  on  shipboard  which  are  within  the  radius  of  action  of  such 
stations." 

REASONS. 

The  communication  of  time  signals  and  storm  warnings  being  of 
g^eat  utility  for  the  interests  of  ships  at  sea,  it  is  desirable,  whenever 
circumstances  will  permit,  to  have  the  same  communicated  by  the 
coastal  stations  to  the  stations  on  shipboard. 


107  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

XL. 

The  exchange  of  correspondence  between  shipboard 
stations  such  as  referred  to  in  article  1  of  the  Convention 
shall  be  carried  on  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  interfere 
with  the  service  of  the  coastal  stations,  the  latter,  as  a 
general  rule,  being  accorded  the  right  of  priority  for  the 
public  service. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

FRANCE. 

Add  the  following  article : 

"ARTICLE  XL-A. 

"Time  signals  and  meteorological  telegrams  shall  be  transmitted 
one  after  the  other  in  such  a  manner  that  the  time  occupied  for  their 
transmission  shall  not  exceed  10  minutes.  As  a  general  rule,  all  radio 
stations  located  within  the  radius  of  action  shall  keep  silent  during 
such  transmission,  in  order  that  all  stations  desiring  it  may  be  able 
to  receive  such  telegrams  and  signals.  Exception  shall  be  made  in 
cases  of  distress  and  of  state  telegrams." 

REASONS. 

It  is  necessary  to  limit  the  time  to  be  occupied  in  the  transmission 
of  time  signals  and  meteorological  telegrams.  A  period  of  10  min- 
utes for  each  station  would  be  sufficient. 

XLI. 

1.  In  the  absence  of  special  agreements  between  the 
parties  concerned,  the  provisions  of  the  present  regula- 
tions shall  be  applicable  analogously  to  the  exchange  of 
radiograms  between  two  vessels  at  sea,  subject  to  the 
following  exceptions: 

(a)  To  Article  XIV.     The  shipboard  rate  falling  to 
the  transmitting  ship  shall  be  collected  from  the  sender, 
and  that  falling  to  the  receiving  ship  shall  be  collected 
from  the  addressee. 

(b)  To  Article  XVIII.     The  order  of  transmission 
shall  be  regulated  in  each  case  by  mutual  agreement 
between  the  corresponding  stations. 


108  BADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

(c)  To  Article  XXXVI.  The  rates  for  the  radio- 
grams in  question  shall  not  enter  into  the  accounts  pro- 
vided for  in  that  article,  such  charges  falling  to  the  radio 
managements  which  have  collected  them. 

2.  Ketransmission  of  radiograms  exchanged  between 
vessels  at  sea  shall  be  subject  to  special  agreements  be- 
tween the  parties  concerned. 

PROPOSITIONS. 

*  • 

GERMANY   (1st). 

Suppress  division  (a)  and  replace  (&)  by  (a). 

REASONS. 

According  to  the  experience  of  the  German  management,  the  send- 
ers of  radiograms  exchanged  between  ships,  desiring  to  prevent  ex- 
pense to  the  addressee,  request  that  the  total  rate  shall  be  collected 
of  the  sender. 

GERMANY   (3d). 

Eeplace  the  present  text  of  division  (c)  by  the  following: 
"  (£)  Accounts  relating  to  the  radiograms  in  question  shall  be  regu- 
lated directly  between  the  shipboard  stations  concerned." 

REASONS. 
This  is  the  method  of  procedure  actually  in  use. 

BELGIUM. 

Paragraph  1.  Modify  the  end  of  the  first  phrase  of  this  paragraph 
as  follows : 

"  *  *  *  between  two  vessels  at  sea  without  the  intervention  of 
a  coastal  station,  subject  to  the  following  exceptions:",  etc. 

REASONS. 
In  consequence  of  the  addition  proposed  under  Article  XIII. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Insert  between  paragraphs  1  and  2  the  following: 
"  la.  In  cases  where  radiograms  proceeding  from  and  intended 
for  ships  shall  be  exchanged  by  the  intermediation  of  a  coastal  sta- 
tion, the  coastal  rate  shall  be  collected  twice.  The  total  charge  shall 
be  collected  of  the  sender.  The  liquidation  of  the  charges  shall  be 
made  by  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  sub- 
ject, analogously  to  the  provisions  of  Article  XXXVI." 


109  RADIO   TELEGKAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

REASONS. 

In  cases  where  radiograms  proceeding  from  and  intended  for  ships 
are  exchanged  by  the  intermediation  of  a  coastal  station,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  make  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  that  the  radio 
rates  shall  be  collected  of  the  sender  and  that  liquidation  shall  be 
made  by  the  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  is  subject.  In 
conformity  with  the  principle  of  a  just  remuneration  for  radio  work, 
the  article  expressly  provides  that  the  coastal  rate  shall  be  computed 
twice;  that  is  to  say,  once  for  reception  and  once  for  forwarding. 

FRANCE. 

Replace  the  text  of  paragraph  2  by  the  following : 
"  Retransmission  of  radiograms  by  the  intermediation  of  a  station 
on  shipboard  shall  be  obligatory  when  a  ship  is  not  able  to  communi- 
cate directly  with  the  nearest  coastal  station." 

REASONS. 

It  would  seem  proper  to  make  retransmission  obligatory  when  a 
shipboard  station  of  origin  is  not  able  to  communicate  with  the 
nearest  coastal  station.  This  obligation  should  be  compensated  by 
the  concession  of  a  rate  of  transit  of  0.20  franc  to  the  shipboard 
station  acting  as  intermediary. 

ITALY. 

Replace  the  last  division  of  Article  XLI  by  a  new  Article  XLI-a, 
as  follows: 

"ARTICLE  XLI-a. 

"  Retransmission  of  radiograms  exchanged  between  ships  at  sea 
shall  be  permitted  when  the  shipboard  station  of  origin  of  the  radio- 
gram is  not  able  to  communicate  directly  with  a  coastal  station  or 
with  the  shipboard  station  of  destination  of  the  message.  Retrans- 
mission shall  be  subject  to  the  condition  that  the  station  on  ship- 
board which  received  the  radiogram  in  transit  is  in  a  position  to 
forward  the  same. 

"  Only  one  retransmission  shall  be  allowed. 

"The  shipboard  rate  relating  to  radiograms  requiring  retrans- 
mission shall  be  divided  equally  between  the  shipboard  station  of 
origin  of  the  radiogram  and  "the  shipboard  station  which  for- 
warded it." 

REASONS. 

Retransmission  of  radiograms  between  stations  on  shipboard  has 
become  very  extensive  in  practice,  and  it  is  therefore  necessary  to 
regulate  the  service  of  transit  which  results  therefrom.  Further- 
more it  is  necessary  to  make  it  possible  for  ships  at  sea  to  have  their 
messages  reach  the  coastal  stations  when  they  are  not  able  to  enter 
into  direct  communication  with  such  stations,  for  the  reason  that  the 
distance  to  be  covered  is  greater  than  the  range  of  the  installations- 
on  board. 


110  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

The  provision  under  consideration  tends  to  regulate  the  relations 
to  be  established  between  stations  on  shipboard  which  discharge  a 
general  public  service  with  a  view  to  organizing  the  special  service  of 
retransmission  of  radiograms. 

A  single  retransmission  has  been  considered  in  order  to  preserve  a 
proper  flexibility  in  the  accounts  of  radiograms. 

Moreover  a  ship  at  sea  is  always  at  a  distance  from  coastal  sta- 
tions which  can  be  covered  by  means  of  a  single  retransmission  with 
the  present  range  of  the  stations  on  shipboard.  Therefore  a  radio- 
gram can  always  reach  the  coastal  stations. 

NETHERLANDS. 

Enter  as  a  new  Article  XLI-a,  the  following : 
"ARTICLE  XLI-a. 

"  1.  The  total  rate  fixed  for  radiograms  exchanged  between  sta- 
tions established  on  board  lightships  and  coastal  stations  on  shore 
shall  be  collected  of  the  addressee  in  all  cases  in  which  the  provi- 
sion of  the  first  division  of  Article  XIV  can  not  be  applied.  In  such 
cases  the  preamble  shall  contain  the  designation  PCV. 

"  2.  The  radio  management  which  has  collected  the  total  rate  of 
the  addressee  shall  be  charged  with  the  same  directly  by  the  radio 
management  to  which  the  coastal  station  on  shore  is  subject  by  means 
of  the  radio  accounts  provided  for  under  Article  XXXVI  on  condi- 
tion that  the  latter  radio  management  shall  enter  the  radiogram  in 
the  ordinary  telegraph  accounts. 

"  3.  For  radiograms  intended  for  lightships,  the  radio  management 
which  has  collected  the  total  rate  shall  be  charged  therewith  by  the 
radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  on  shore  is  subject, 
deduction  being  made  of  the  rates  for  transmission  over  the  lines  of 
the  telegraph  system. 

"  4.  If  the  radio  management  to  which  the  coastal  station  on  shore 
is  subject  is  not  the  same  as  that  to  which  the  station  established  on 
board  the  lightship  is  subject,  the  former  radio  management  shall 
credit  the  latter  with  the  rates  for  the  intermediation  of  the  light- 
ship." 

REASONS. 

Experience  concerning  international  correspondence  by  means  of 
the  Netherlands  lightships  has  shown  the  necessity  for  regulating  in 
a  general  manner  the  liquidation  of  rates  for  radiograms  relating  to 
radio  correspondence  between  coastal  stations  on  shore  and  the  sta- 
tions on  lightships,  in  so  far  as  the  latter  exchange  such  messages 
with  ships  at  sea  otherwise  than  by  way  of  radio  telegraphy  (for 
example,  by  semaphoric  transmission). 

Since  within,  the  meaning  of  the  Convention  radio  stations  estab- 
lished on  board  lightships  are  coastal  stations,  the  radiograms  in 
question  are  not  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  Convention  and 
Regulations.  The  radio  rates  are  to  be  fixed  by  the  managements  to 
which  the  radio  stations  are  subject.  It  now  remains  to  make  pro- 
vision in  the  Regulations  for  the  cases  where  the  total  rate  for  radio- 
grams proceeding  from  the  sea  is  to  be  collected  of  the  addressee  (in 


Ill  RADIO  TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

derogation  of  Article  XIV) ,  and  next  to  regulate  the  liquidation  of 
the  rates  by  the  coastal  stations  on  shore.  In  the  case  of  the  latter 
equity  demands  that;  in  derogation  of  Article  LXXVI  of  the  Inter- 
national Telegraph  Regulations,  the  rates  (including  those  which 
are  "  equitable  for  the  radio  work  "  (Article  X  of  the  Convention) 
and  the  semaphore  rates)  shall  also  be  paid  in  case  they  have  been 
collected  of  the  addressee. 

GERMANY. 

"Article  XLII  (new). 

"  The  modifications  in  the  provisions  of  the  present  Regulations, 
which  may  be  rendered  necessary  as  the  result  of  the  decisions  of 
subsequent  telegraph  conferences,  shall  go  into  effect  on  the  date 
fixed  for  the  application  of  the  provisions  determined  upon  by  each 
one  of  such  conferences." 

REASONS. 

In  conformity  with  Article  LXII,  paragraph  8,  of  the  Telegraph 
Regulations,  as  revised  at  Lisbon. 

EXTRACT    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE  REGULATIONS,   MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

LXII. 

8.  Modifications  of  the  provisions  of  the  present  Regulations  relating  to 
radiograms,  which  may  be  rendered  necessary  in  consequence  of  decisions  of 
future  radio  telegraph  conferences,  will  be  brought  into  force  on  the  date 
fixed  for  the  application  of  the  provisions  adopted  by  each  of  these  latter 
conferences. 

XLII. 

The  provisions  of  the  International  Telegraph  Regula- 
tions shall  be  applicable  analogously  to  radio  correspond- 
ence in  so  far  as  they  are  not  contrary  to  the  provisions 
of  the  present  regulations. 

In  conformity  with  Article  11  of  the  Convention  of 
Berlin,  these  Regulations  shall  go  into  effect  on  the  1st 
day  of  July,  1908. 

In  witness  whereof  the  respective  plenipotentiaries 
have  signed  one  copy  of  the  present  Regulations,  which 
shall  be  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment of  Germany,  and  a  copy  of  which  shall  be  trans- 
mitted to  each  of  the  parties. 

Done  at  Berlin,  November  3,  1906. 

(Signed  by  all  plenipotentiaries  as  per  pp.  14-16. 


112  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION    OF   BERLIN. 

GERMANY. 

Replace  the  present  number  by  XLIII. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Add  at  the  end  of  Article  XLII  the  following  paragraph : 
"There  shall  be  considered  as  applicable,  in  particular,  to  radio 
correspondence  the  provisions  of  Article  XXVII,  paragraphs  3  to 
6,  of  the  said  Regulations,  relating  to  the  collection  of  rates ;  those  of 
Articles  LXXV.  paragraph  1,  LXXVIII,  paragraphs  2  to  4,  and 
LXXIX,  paragraphs  2  to  4,  relating  to  the  preparation  and  state- 
ment of  accounts.  On  the  other  hand,  the  provisions  of  Article  XVI. 
paragraph  2,  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations,  shall  not  be  considered 
as  authorizing  gratuitous  transmission  by  the  radio  stations  of  service 
telegrams  relating  exclusively  to  the  telegraph  service  nor  the  free 
transmission  over  the  telegraph  lines  of  service  telegrams  relating 
exclusively  to  the  radio  service;  furthermore,  the  provisions  of 
Article  LXXIX,  paragraph  3,  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations,  shall 
not  be  applicable  to  the  settlement  of  radio  accounts.  With  a  view 
to  the  application  of  the  provisions  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations, 
•coastal  stations  shall  be  considered  as  offices  of  transit  except  when 
the  Radio  Regulations  expressly  stipulate  that  such  stations  shall  be 
considered  as  offices  of  origin  or  of  destination." 

REASONS. 

The  general  terms  in  which  the  present  provisions  are  expressed 
permit  some  uncertainty  to  exist  as  to  whether  certain  provisions  of 
the  Telegraph  Regulations  are  applicable  or  not  to  the  radio  corre- 
spondence. The  intention  of  the  proposition  is  to  remove  all  doubts 
concerning  such  of  the  provisions  as  have  given  rise  to  different  in- 
terpretations. The  latter  part  of  the  proposed  addition  relates  more 
especially  to  the  following  articles  of  the  Telegraph  Regulations 
regarding  the  verification  of  the  count  of  words,  namely.  Articles 
XIX,  paragraphs  9  and  10,  XXXVII,  paragraph  2,  and  LXXVI, 
paragraph  9. 

EXTRACTS    FROM    THE    INTERNATIONAL    TELEGRAPH    CONVENTION    AND 
SERVICE   REGULATIONS,   MENTIONED  ABOVE. 

XXVII 

3.  In  order  to  insure  uniformity  of  charge  as  prescribed  by  the  Convention, 
those  of  the  Contracting  States  which  do  not  use  the  franc  as  their  monetary 
unit  fix  for  the  collection  of  their  charges  an  equivalent  in  their  respective 
•currencies  as  nearly  as  possible  of  the  value  of  the  gold  franc. 

4.  The  present  equivalent  of  the  franc  is : 

In  Germany,  0.85  mark. 

In  Australia  (Commonwealth),  9.6  pence. 

In  Austria,  1  crown. 

Ip  Hungary,  1  crown. 

In  Bosnia-Herzegovina,  1  crown. 

In  Bolivia,  50  centavos. 

In  Brazil,  640  reis  Brazilian  money. 

In  Bulgaria,  1  lev. 

At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  9.6  pence. 

In  Ceylon,  0.68  rupee. 

In  Chile,  0.5333  gold  peso  at  18  pence. 


113  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF  BERLIN. 

In  the  Portuguese  Colonies,  200  reis. 

In  Crete,  1  drachma. 

In  Denmark,  0.80  crown. 

In  Egypt,  38.575  millienies  (3  piastres  34  paras  tariff  money). 

In  Erythrea,  1  liva. 

In  Spain,  1  peseta,  13  centimes  of  a  peseta. 

In  Great  Britain,  9.6  pence. 

In  Greece,  1  drachma. 

In  British  India,  0.60  rupee. 

In  Dutch  East  Indies,  0.50  florin. 

In  French  Indo-China,  50  centiemes  of  a  piastre. 

In  Iceland,  0.80  crown. 

In  Italy,  1  lira. 

In  Japan,  0.40  yen. 

In  Montenegro,  1  crown. 

In  Natal,  9.6  pence. 

In  Norway,  0.80  crown. 

In  New  Zealand,  9.6  pence. 

In  Orange  River  Colony,  9.6  pence. 

In  Holland,  0.50  florin. 

In  Persia,  2  krans  5  schahis. 

In  Portugal,  200  reis. 

In  the  British  Protectorate  of  East  Africa  and  Uganda,  0.60  rupee. 

In  the  Argentine  Republic,  20  gold  centavos. 

In  Roumania,  1  leu. 

In  Russia,  0.25  of  a  metallic  ruble. 

In  Servia,  1  dinar. 

In  Siam,  35  atts. 

In  Sweden,  0.80  crown. 

In  the  Transvaal,  9.6  pence. 

In  Turkey.  4  piasters  23  paras. 

In  Uruguay,  0.1866  peso. 

5.  In  the  case  of  countries  where  the  value  of  the  money  varies  according  to 
fluctuations  of  exchange  the  equivalent  of  the  franc  given  above  is,  in  case  of 
considerable  change,  modified  by  taking  as  a  base  the  mean  equivalent  of  a 
franc  during  the  preceding  'three  months.     It  is  for  the  country  affected  to 
modify  the  equivalent  in  conformity  with  the  foregoing  provision,  to  fix  the 
date  from  which  charges  shall  be  collected  according  to  the  new  equivalent, 
and  to  notify  the  other  administrations  through  the  International  Bureau. 

6.  Payment  may  be  required  in  coin. 

NOTE. — One  franc=19.3  cents  United  States  gold. 

LXXV. 

1.  The  franc  is  the  monetary  unit  employed  in  the  preparation  of  interna- 
tional accounts. 

LXXVIII. 

2.  The  statement  and  settlement  of  the  balance  take  place  at  the  end  of  each 
quarter. 

3.  The  balance  thus  arrived  at  is  paid  by  the  debtor  administration  to  the 
creditor  administration  by  means  of  drafts.     If  the  franc  is  the  monetary  unit 
of  the  creditor  administration,  the  drafts  are  drawn  in  effective  gold  francs  on 
a  place  in  the  creditor  country  at  the  option  of  the  debtor  administration.    If 
the  franc  is  not  the  monetary  unit  of  the  creditor  administration,  the  drafts  are 
drawn  at  the  option  of  the  debtor  administration,  either  in  effective  gold  francs 
on  Paris  or  on  a  place  in  the  creditor  country,  or  in  the  currency  of  the  creditor 
country  and  on  a  place  in  that  country :  in  this  latter  case  the  administrations 
concerned  come  to  an  understanding  as  to  the  method  of  procedure  and,  if 
necesssary,  as  to  the  rate  of  conversion  of  the  balance  due  into  the  monetary 
currency  of  the  creditor  administration. 

4.  The  cost  of  payment  is  borne  by  the  debtor  administration. 

LXXIX. 

2.  The  verification  of  the  accounts,  as  well  as  the  notification  of  their  accept- 
ance and  relative  observations,  takes  place  within  a  maximum  period  of  six 


35144—12 15 


114  RADIO   TELEGRAPH   CONVENTION   OF   BERLIN. 

months  from  the  date  on  which  they  are  sent.  An  administration  which  does 
not  receive  any  rectifying  observation  within  that  time  is  entitled  to  consider 
the  account  admitted.  This  provision  is  also  applicable  to  the  observations 
made  by  one  administration  on  the  accounts  prepared  by  another. 

3.  The  monthly  accounts  are  admitted  without  revision  when  the  difference 
between  the  amounts  arrived  at  by  the  two  administrations  concerned  does  not 
exceed  1  per  cent  of  the  amount  shown  as  due  by  the  administration  which  has 
prepared  the  account.     Should  a   revision  have  been  commenced,  it  must  be 
stopped  if,  as  the  result  of  an  exchange  of  observations  between  the  adminis- 
trations concerned,  the  difference  which  led  to  the  revision  is  reduced  within 
the  limits  of  1  per  cent. 

4.  The  quarterly  balance  account  must  be  verified  and  paid  within  a  period 
of  six  weeks  following  the  exchange  of  the  accounts  relating  to  the  last  month 
of  the  corresponding  quarter.    After  the  last  day  of  this  period  of  six  weeks 
amounts  due  from  one  administration  to  another  bear  interest  at  the  rate  of  5 
per  cent  per  annum. 

XVI. 

2.  They  are  transmitted  free  between  all  countries  except  in  the  cases  speci- 
fied in  the  following  regulation : 

XIX. 

9.  The  counting  of  the  office  of  origin  is  decisive,  both  for  purposes  of  trans- 
mission and  of  the  international  accounts.     Nevertheless,  when  the  telegram 
contains  combinations  or  alterations  of  words  of  one  of  the  languages  of  the 
country  of  destination,  or  of  a  language  other  than  those  of  the  country  of 
origin,  contrary  to  the  usage  of  such  language,  the  office  of  destination  has  the 
right  to  recover  from  the  addressee  the  amount  of  charge  not  collected.     If 
this  right  is  exercised,  the  telegram  is  only  delivered  to  the  addressee  on  pay- 
ment of  the  short  charge.     In  case  of  refusal  to  pay,  a  service  advice  thus 
worded    is    addressed    to    the    office    of    origin :  "  Vienna,    Paris,    5.10    p.    m., 
No.  -    -  (name  of  addressee),  -        -  (reproduce  the  words  wrongly  combined 
or  altered),  -         -  words   (indicate  number  of  words  properly  chargeable)." 
If  the  sender,  duly  notified  of  the  reason  for  nondelivery,  agrees  to  pay  the 
excess,  a  service  advice  thus  worded  is  addressed  to  the  delivery  office :  "  Paris, 

Vienna,  7  p.  m.,  No. (name  of  addressee),  short  charge  collected."     On 

receipt  of  this  service  advice  the  office  of  destination  delivers  the  telegram. 

10.  When  the  administration  of  origin  discovers  after  the  charge  has  been 
collected  that  a  telegramh  contains  either  inadmissible  combinations  or  altera- 
tions  of  words   or   expressions  or   words   which,    although   not   fulfilling   the 
conditions  of  plain  or  code  language,  -have  been  charged  for  as  belonging  to 
these  languages,  it  applies  to  these  expressions  or  words  for  the  calculation  of 
the  short  charge  to  be  recovered  from  the  sender,  the  rules  to  which  they 
should  have  been  respectively  subjected.    The  combinations  or  alterations  are 
counted  in  accordance  with  the  number  of  words  which  they  would  contain  if 
they  were  written  in  the  usual  manner. 

The  administration  of  origin  acts  in  the  same  way  when  irregularities  are 
pointed  out  to  it  by  a  transit  administration  or- by  the  administration  of  desti- 
nation. Nevertheless,  neither  of  these  two  latter  administrations  may  delay 
the  forwarding  or  delivery  of  the  telegram  except  in  the  cases  provided  for  in 
paragraph  9. 

XXXVII. 

2.  When  the  difference  does  not  arise  from  an  error  in  transmission,  the 
rectification  of  the  number  of  words  indicated  can  only  be  effected  by  agree- 
ment between  the  office  of  origin  and  its  correspondent.  In  the  absence  of  such 
agreement  the  number  of  words  announced  by  the  office  of  origin  is  admitted. 

LXXVI. 

9.  Nevertheless,  the  number  of  words  announced  by  the  office  of  origin  serves 
as  the  basis  for  the  application  of  the  charge,  except  in  the  case  where,  owing 
to  an  error  in  transmisssion,  it  may  have  been  rectified  by  agreement  between 
the  original  office  and  the  office  in  correspondence  with  it. 

o 


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